The Wandering Path Of Deep Red Snow
by animeloveramy
Summary: The soul reapers are loosing control of the war against aizen and they need new blood. but to fill the extra captains seats they need strong soul reapers. A visit to the english soul society is in order.set before muramasa but focuses on him  sort of...
1. Chapter 1

**Ok, this is my 'redone' version of the story 'the wandering path through deep red snow'. As I read through it again I realised that the chapters really were too long so I cut them down and added a few extras to it (e.g. changing the ' to ")**

**I hope you like this story as much as I do and decide to read and review it. I think I've gained some inspiration back from watching bleach again… also I'd like to add that it's set just before the Muramasa arc and will probably be focusing on the manifested Zampacto's and what Aizen might decide to do with them… **

_**Animeloveramy **_

**oxo…oxo**

Hetta Goodwin looked around the large, high walled captain's meeting room with a slight smile. She was the head captain of the English soul society and today, some guests from their Japanese counterparts had joined the meeting. Her welcoming blue eyes scanned the 14 captains in the room, watching in amusement as several looked around in confusion, noting the increased amount of people with increasing curiosity. Her long blonde hair twitched slightly as she turned her head and beamed at the newcomers, holding her hands out before her in a welcoming gesture that made the two smile slightly. She was a woman you liked, no matter who you were or where you were from. She inspired confidence and her word was taken in everything, from weapon strategies to love and everything in between.

"Welcome friends." She greeted, her voice warm and open as she continued to smile at the two visitors. The pair nodded. The shorter of them, a boy with short, snow white hair and cold, aqua blue eyes, was watching the others out of the corner of his eyes, his gaze cold and calculating; as if wondering what each may be planning and thinking up a strategy to counter it. The taller had long black hair, pulled back into identical, fabric covered plats, each with golden rings hanging from the end. Her deep blue eyes were fixed on the head captain, a slight look of marvel almost hidden upon her face. Both wore the uniform of the Japanese and white haori's of captain's.

"Thank you head captain." She said graciously, bowing her head to the woman in front of her. "But I believe introductions and explanations may be in order; your captains look confused." She stated soundly, her English only slightly accented. Hetta nodded her head and moved her eyes so that they where looking at the two rows of men and women standing, waiting for the said explanation with a blatant curiosity burning in their eyes.

"You may be right there." The head admitted thoughtfully before smiling again. "Everyone, the people you see before you are visitors from the Japanese soul society and they have come for a special reason that I shall get to in a moment. First, this lovely lady is Soi Fon; their second squad's captain, and her companion is Hitsugaya Toushiro; their tenth squad captain." She told the English captains, the smile never leaving her flawless face. The captain's nodded in greeting before turning back to Hetta. "I won't go through our captain's names just yet; you can learn them as we go along for I really must explain the situation. You see the Japanese soul society have…lost a few captains recently and their head captain decided it could be a good time to gain new alliances. This means that there is to be a captain's exam of sorts. We shall be entering all our eligible candidates and they will enter all of theirs. They shall face a trial and the winning three will become captains of either squad 3, 5 or 9 in the Japanese soul society." She explained and suddenly, the atmosphere had changed. No longer was it confused; it was excitable and many of the captains where finding it hard to concentrate.

_What a load of idiots…_ Toushiro thought to himself as he watched the tapping feet and twitching hands of the English captain's. _No self control. And really; it's not that exciting._

"The exam will be in a week. You have the time from then till now to submit your subordinates if you see fit; thank you. Oh, and can I speak with Katie and Toni please." Hetta continued before absently dismissing the rest with a nod of her head. The two captains she called and the two Japanese ones walked up to her desk, standing in a line facing her with light in their eyes.

Hetta smiled sweetly before turning to the English captains. Both where wearing the English uniform of flared, black trousers and long sleeved, black shirts and both had the captain's haori with the roman numerals of their squads on the back.

"I would like the pair of you to look after our guests please. I'm sure that they would be more comfortable in their own squads so treat them accordingly." She said and the pair nodded. Turning back to the Japanese, Hetta smiled wider. "Ok then? This is Katie Jones and Antonia Luxe. Katie is our 2nd squad captain and Antonia is our 10th. I hope you find their hosting skills to be satisfactory." She told them with a wry smile before dismissing them and watching as they walked smoothly from her office.

Katie was a fairly tall girl with straight, light brown hair, blonde highlights and green eyes. Her features where flawless as she smiled at the two guests politely, turning to look at Soi Fon who was watching her intently. "Please, follow me." Katie told the girl, who looked a few years her elder. Soi Fon watched her intently as she watched the English girl begin to walk fairly quickly down one of the corridors. Nodding silently to Toushiro, she flash stepped to catch up before following at a slowed pace.

The other girl, Antonia, smiled as the white haired boy turned to look at her. She was slightly taller than him and had long brown hair that came to her shoulders and deep brown eyes. "Hello." She said nicely as she watched him scrutinise her. "Your name is Hitsugaya Toushiro, right?" she asked as she started to walk down the corridor in the opposite way from Katie. Toushiro nodded quietly before following, still not saying a word. "Hmmm." Antonio mused.

"Captain Antonia?" he asked finally, his voice hesitating just slightly as he worked to make his voice speak in English. She looked down at him with a strange look on her face that he failed to identify.

"You can call me Toni if you like." She told him.

"Ok, Toni, is all of this place so…enclosed?" he asked, looking around at the stone walls and low roofs. Toni looked at him thoughtfully before answering, pondering on the words to say.

"Well, this is the main office building so I suppose this part is. We're on the second floor too, but the gardens and the barracks are pretty open. They have to be really, to make sure we can get out quicker. The barracks are pretty much identical to yours. We where created after you after all, so some of it stayed the same." she explained. Her voice was soft and she didn't look at him as she spoke, keeping her eyes in front of her as if looking for someone. "Where is that girl?" she murmured irritably as she waked and Toushiro looked at her thoughtfully before he saw her eyes light up and she flash stepped a couple of meters to where a girl was walking around the corner with a large stack of paper.

The girl jumped as Toni appeared in front of her, but somehow managed to keep hold of the papers. "Would you not do that please captain?" She asked slowly, clearly controlling her annoyance. She had long brown hair with white tips that stopped at her waist and steel blue eyes. She had a bell around her neck; fastened by a red ribbon and she too wore the uniform, only that she had a vice captain's badge on her arm instead of a captain's haori and her shirt was more open than Toni's. Her features were pretty and her skin was flawless except for the slight frown that wrinkled her brow as her captain grinned at her.

"I'm sorry Amy. We have a guest!" she said, overweighing her apology with the news of Toushiro.

"Oh yes?" Amy asked with a sigh. "Who?"

"Hitsugaya Toushiro." He told her as he walked over to the pair, his emotionless expression fixed on his face. "10th squad captain of the Japanese soul society." He explained at her puzzled expression and she nodded, a small smile coming to her face as she looked him over.

"Cool. I like your hair." She said with a grin. Toushiro's lips twitched upwards slightly before he nodded.

"Thanks."

"I'm Amelia Jones by the way, but you can call me Amy; everybody does. I'm Toni's vice captain." She explained, pointing a thumb at the bright eyed captain behind her. Toushiro nodded again. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need t get this paperwork to Het- uh, the head captain before noon so…"

"Of course." Toushiro replied, stepping aside to let the girl through. She smiled at him gratefully before walking past him and down the corridor.

"Toushiro?" Toni's voice asked from where she was standing and he resisted the urge to correct her before he turned his eyes on her.

"Yes?" he asked, voice slightly colder after her informality on his name that he knew he would need to get used to while with the English.

"Are you coming?"

Toushiro looked at her for a moment before nodding and following her further down the hallway.

**xxx…xxx**

Soi Fon and Katie walked in silence as they made their way towards the 2nd squad barracks. It was quite a comfortable silence and they made better time arriving at their barracks than Toni and Toushiro due to no distractions. When they arrived, they where met by a tall, good looking boy who had straight, purple hair that ended at his shoulders, and open, golden eyes. He was the most exotic person she had met in this place yet.

"Hello Miss." He said softly, bowing his head slightly as he saw Soi Fon walk through the door. He was abruptly hit over the head by Katie's hand. Straightening up, he shuffled his feet nervously, sending a few glares at Katie.

"This is Thomas Darkshade. He's my vice captain and a womaniser. Not the biggest we have, sure, but a womaniser. He likes to be called by his middle name, Aiedail, but you can call him what you wish. Aiedail, this is Soi Fon. She is the 2nd squad captain from Japan and will be staying with us." She explained to both parties. Aiedail was looking at his captain in a mixed expression boarding on being excited, curious and insulted.

"Japan hu? Amy will be pleased." He said thoughtfully.

"Yes, I suppose she will." Katie answered, thinking about her sister a moment before coming out of her reverie and turning back to a curious looking Soi Fon. "Amy is my sister and she loves Japan. She's one of the only people who can speak Japanese as if she spoke no other language. Also, she, Aiedail and Hetta are they only ones with Japanese Zampacto's I believe." She told her and the Shimigami nodded slowly, taking on board the information. "In fact, she's the 10th squad vice captain so she's got Toushiro…"

"May I ask, captain, why you are here?" Aiedail cut smoothly into Katie's new reverie.

"I suppose you may. We are here to hold a captains exam. You see, we need three new captains and your soul society has many more captain level shinigami. We will, however, be entering our legitimate candidates as well, to give them a Fair chance at what is really, rightfully theirs." Soi Fon explained, watching as Aiedail's eyes widened slightly at the prospect.

"And I will be entering you." Katie cut in. "you had best get training. Maybe Soi Fon will let you train with her if you ask nice enough." She said slyly, looking at the shinigami out the corner of her eyes. Soi Fon's face was black but her eyes where hard and cold. _Or not…_

Aiedail shook his head lightly. "I have to deliver this paperwork. I'll find someone to train with after." He told his captain with a smile. She nodded before looking back up at Soi Fon's dark features. _This is going to be fun…_

**oxo****…oxo**

**This is the first chapter of the new and improved version of this story. To those of you who read it before you will know that all I've really done is shortened it down some****… anyway, I hoped you enjoyed it and I hope you will stick around for the rest! **

**Please REVIEW!**


	2. Chapter 2

**oxo…oxo**

Amy walked steadily down the corridor in the direction of the head captain's office. The papers where still in her hand as she walked and she new that she would be grateful to get rid of them. Knocking on the door, she heard Hetta's voice call out for her to enter and did so, walking over to her desk and placing the stack of papers on the wooden surface.

Hetta smiled up at her warmly. "Good morning Amy! Have you seen your guest yet?" she asked joyfully, glad at seeing one of her best friends again. Amy nodded excitedly.

"Oh yes, he's cool." She said with a shrug, but a grin was spreading on her face.

"Glad you think so!" Hetta replied, looking over to the door as another knock sounded. "Come in."

The door opened and Aiedail popped his head round before grinning at the pair and walking in. "I didn't interrupt anything did I?" he asked as he set his papers down beside Amy's. The pair shook their heads. "Oh, good." He said, breathing out slightly and grinning wider.

"Talk later Hetta?" Amy asked her friend as she turned towards the door. Hetta nodded, dismissing them with a wave of the hand. Grinning, they walked out and waited until the door closed before flash stepping away, following the familiar route towards the training ground, racing each other along the way.

"I won; sucker!" Amy cheered as she waited for Aiedail to catch up, leaning against a post for a moment before he finally showed up, his breathing heavy.

"Of course you did; you always do." He told her in slight annoyance. Amy nodded happily before flash stepping around him as he caught his breath. "Now that's just not fair." He said when he could speak properly and frowned at the giggles that followed. Suddenly, the giggles stopped and Amy stopped just in time for her to pull her Zampacto from the sheath on her back and stop another soul reaper from slicing the back of Aiedail's head open. The clashing of swords brought the boy's attention and he turned in surprise to see Amy with her Zampacto drawn, holding back the Zampacto of a girl with strawberry blonde hair and golden brown eyes. "Leah?" he breathed, noting the smirk on her face.

"God, if Amy wasn't here to protect you you'd be dead!" she cried in a high, scathing tone before she pushed off from Amy and landed several feet away, glaring at him from the distance.

"What do you want?" Aiedail asked, a tone to his voice that could be taken as both polite and hostile. Leah sneered slightly.

"Why should I tell you?" she asked in a disgusted tone. Amy watched them both with a worried look before turning to Leah.

"Would you like to spar with me Leah? We haven't in a while right?" she asked with a happy smile, trying to make peace in the arena. Leah looked at her for a moment before smiling and widening her stance slightly.

"Sure, if you think you can take me!"

Amy grinned at her before lunging, listening to the clatter of metal as her Zampacto hit Leah's. They carried on like that for some time, practicing techniques and patterns without much trouble. Finally, they pushed away from each other, their feet dragging across the dusty ground before they came to a stop and grinned. "Let's take this up a notch shall we?" Leah asked cockily, razing her Zampacto in front of her face and yelling; "Hiss, Death Star!"

Suddenly, her Zampacto began to glow deep pink and change shape, changing into a larger version of itself. The blade had lengthened; it had become thicker and less feminine except for its colour, which stayed glowing pink. This was not the fist time Amy had fought Leah, but the last time she did had been a while ago. This time, Leah would be stronger. This time, Leah had a bankai she could resort to if needed.

Leah pulled the sword down quickly and Amy listened to the buzzing it made as it moved. Leah grinned at her, urging her to go into shikai too. Amy grinned back cheekily before bringing her Zampacto to her lips, her eyes confident as she closed them and spoke softly to her sword. "Bleed, Akane Yuki."

The blade of her sword lit up gently in a blood red colour, the light bleeding from the tip downwards as if blood really was running down it. Below the hilt of the sword the same was happening; the red light becoming a ribbon before Leah's very eyes. When the blade was completely covered in the red light, it stopped glowing, leaving her blade a blood coloured red. Opening her eyes gently, she whipped her blade round so that she was in her stance position again, waiting for Leah to make the first move.

Still smiling, the blonde flash stepped forwards towards her. Amy resisted the urge to roll her eyes. _What an amateur move._

Quickly, she swung her Zampacto towards Leah and watched as a bright red beam of light flew from it, covering everything it touched with a blanket of blood red ice and snow. Leah's eyes widened as she dodged it scarcely; the end of her hair now covered in red ice.

Amy then flash stepped behind the blonde and raised her sword to her opponent's throat, chuckling quietly as she heard Leah gulp and they both landed on the ground. "You loose Leah." She told her friend as they stood there, unmoving.

"I suppose I did, huh?" she replied with a hint of sadness in her voice that she had tried to cover with a jokey tone. "Now, if you don't mind, I need to speak with my captain." She said, ducking under Akane Yuki, sheathing Death Star and flash stepping quickly from the arena. Amy sighed before sheathing her own Zampacto and walking over to Aiedail who had begun clapping as soon as Leah had left. She smiled sadly as she arrived but her eyes widened as two other pairs of hands joined the clapping. Looking around, she spotted Toushiro and Toni walking towards her, Toni smiling widely and Toushiro's face expressionless, though the young captain's eyes were twinkling.

"Brilliant as usual Amy!" Toni cried happily and Amy flushed slightly before looking away.

"Thanks." She murmured shyly, putting her hands in front of her and twisting her fingers around each other. _She didn't even have to try when fighting that other girl._ Toushiro thought in amazement. _In fact, I'd say she was holding back in sake of her friendship. And she has an ice Zampacto…_

"My turn Amy!" Aiedail said quickly, eyeing Toushiro's badly hidden amazed look. Amy turned to him and nodded before flash stepping away from him as he lunged, drawing his sword from his hip and swinging it at the girl.

"Oh, can't we start at shikai? I'm bored of technique already!" Amy asked; her voice in a playfully whiney tone. Aiedail shrugged and Amy grinned, releasing Akane Yuki into shikai and waiting for Aiedail to do the same. He did so, pulling the sheath from his belt and placing it on the end of his Zampacto and holding them in front of him horizontally.

"Bring though the twilight, Syante!"

A mini whirlwind surrounded the sword and sheath before it disappearing quickly to reveal two swords, hilt to hilt. Toushiro watched as Aiedail pulled them apart and a thick chain held them together; extending and contracting at will. With one sword in each hand, he took his stance.

"You ready?" Amy asked with a grin.

"To get my ass whooped? Not really but hey, here we go again!" he answered before lunging forward to meet his opponent in the middle.

"Are you planning to enter her for the captain's exam?" Toushiro asked curiously as he watched Amy move herself and her sword with great skill.

Toni looked down at him from the corner of her eye. "Of course. She has a bankai too. It's rather impressive really. So did the girl from before; Leah was her name, and so does Aiedail, the boy she's fighting now. He's the 2nd squad vice captain. Leah is the vice captain of the 8th squad. I'm pretty sure that their captains will be entering them too. How many candidates do the Japanese have?" Toni asked as she came to the end of her speech. Toushiro shook his head with a wry smile, his eyes never leaving the fight. The arena was now a red ice rink.

"Two. The vice captain of the 6th squad and 11th squad's 3rd seat." He answered.

"A third seat?" Toni asked in curiosity. Toushiro nodded.

"I apologise for the 11th squad captain in advance." He answered dryly. Toni chose not to comment. "So how many English candidates are there?"

"Um… seven I believe."

Toushiro looked up at her startled. "Seven?" he asked in surprise. Toni nodded; an apologetic look on her face. Slowly, Toushiro turned back to the fight just in time to see Aiedail go flying at a high kick from Amy that had hit him in the jaw. The pair sparred for a quarter hour more before they decided to call it a draw.

"I say I won this time." Aiedail stated lightly as they walked back over to where the two captains where waiting.

"But technically, I won before we started." Amy commented dryly. Aiedail tutted quietly as he wrinkled his nose in annoyance at being outsmarted.

"How come?" Toushiro asked, being in hearing range of the comment. Amy looked at him nervously.

"Don't tell anyone, but my Zampacto's shikai has another ability. It has a poison coated on it that can get into your whole system from just one cut the size of a paper cut. I can control this poison but, of course, from all of the times we have sparred, he has loads of it and it never goes away; even if I where to die it would still be there, it just wouldn't work." She explained. Toushiro nodded thoughtfully.

"So, if this fight had been real, he would be dead?" he asked.

"Hei." Amy answered coolly.

"Have you heard about the captain's exam Amy?" Aiedail asked conversationally. Amy looked at him in surprise.

"No, what's that?" she asked nervously. Aiedail tutted again and Toushiro sweat dropped.

"It's the reason Captain Toushiro is here, didn't you think to ask?"

"No…"

"Idiot."

"Baka! Anyway, you never told me what it was!" Amy shot back in annoyance. Aiedail smirked at her. When he had told her what it was, her eyes lit up. "I am so in!" she cried loudly, balling her hand into a fist and bringing it down in front of her happily. "Right captain?" she then asked nervously. Toni nodded, smiling and Amy's grin was back. "All right! Excuse me a moment; captain Toushiro?" she asked politely and the said captain turned to look at her.

"Yes?" he asked her, a small smile playing at his lips.

"Can I have a flash step race with you?" she asked; a tone of innocence in her voice. Aiedail and Toni sweat dropped. _You are such a bad girl Amy…_ Toni thought in amusement. It was obvious to anyone who knew her talents what Amy was trying to do; she wanted to upstage a Japanese captain at something.

"Sure." Toushiro answered, unaware of what he was letting himself in for. Amy grinned.

"Cool. The track is a circuit of the inner court." She said. Toushiro nodded before jumping slightly as Toni came up behind him to whisper in his ear.

"Good luck captain. You're going to need it…"

Toushiro didn't even have time to question her as Amy started the race and remained ahead of him for the whole of it.

**oxo…oxo**

**Well here's chapter 2 of this newer version of the story (if it can really be called that…) hope your liking it!**

**Please review! **


	3. mini chapter

**oxo…oxo**

_During the 1 week of training…_

Toushiro walked, lost, through the corridors of the court of pure souls with a sense of confusion firmly settled into his mind. _I'm sure I've seen that wall before..._ he thought as he walked past a wall that looked very much like every other wall in the place. Frowning slightly, he continued; trying to look as if he knew where he was going.

After rounding several corners he came to a halt, slightly distracted by a strange, manic laughter coming from one of the half open doors in the corridor. Peaking inside his eyes widened as he saw Ryan, 11th squad captain, sitting in the darkened room with several vials of multi coloured liquids he had obviously stolen from the 12th squad labs, an evil grin spread across his face.

Toushiro cringed slightly at the look, wondering if he should risk going into the room and asking the captains assistance. Before he could make his mind up however, Ryan poured a large jug of some green coloured liquid into an even larger jug of fuming orange liquid.

A huge explosion rocked the English soul society and Amy looked up from where she was training with Soi Fon, her eyes fixing on the cloud of black smoke coming from the 11th squad barracks. Shaking her head, she turned back to the shinigami, hoping Ryan hadn't gotten any innocents involved this time.

The 10th squad captain of the Japanese soul society blinked as he felt his eyebrows singe from the massive explosion that had just engulfed him. He watched quietly as the 11th captain laughed manically, still holding the beakers that where a little bit broken from the shockwaves.

"I've done it!" he yelled, still laughing like an evil genius. "I created an explosive I can use to blow things up!"

_What the hell…_ Toushiro wondered, his face emotionless but his mind confused, startled, shocked, gob smacked and any other words that would fit in this sentence. Slowly, Aiedail walked past, no surprise on his face as he stopped to look at the captain sitting in the now roofless room and hall. He smirked.

"Your about 300 years too late captain. That had been invented for ages..."

Ryan stopped laughing before glaring at the vice captain as the purple haired boy walked away, Toushiro following purposefully behind.

**oxo…oxo**

**I hope you liked my mini chapter thing. I liked the story anyway… but it's based on one of my real friends and he actually would blow up our school if given the proper chemicals and the right chance… -_-**


	4. chapter 3

**oxo…oxo**

In the week leading up to the captain's exam, the seven candidate's of the English soul society participating in it could be seen training pretty much non stop. None of them new what it was going to be so they trained in all areas; some including strategy.

And it was the same in the Japanese soul society. Renji and Ikaku had been given time from their duties in order to train and usually found themselves training against each other. But on the day before they where to leave for England, Ichigo arrived; very pissed off and fiery as ever.

"How come no one told me of this captain's exam?" he had yelled as he trudged trough the Seritey, threatening shinigami here and there with threats of mega wedgies if they didn't give him an answer. He had soon been found by a rather annoyed looking Rukia who had punched him hard in the face before dragging him behind her to the head captains office; cursing angrily under her breath as she walked.

The meeting had lasted a fair amount of time and by the end of it there were 3 broken chairs that had seemingly been flung from the room and a malfunctioning hell butterfly that had proceeded to fly in circles around the Seritey screaming "cookie's for reviewers!" to everyone it saw in a very high pitched voice that sounded suspiciously like the head captain on helium. The outcome, however, had been Ichigo's entry into the captain's exam and he himself was still oblivious as to how it had happened.

Needless to say, the arrival the next day in England of seven shinigami rather than the expected five had surprised the English head captain somewhat, but she didn't show her surprise for long. They arrived in the meeting room, as Toushiro and Soi Fon before them, but this time only the captains for the 6th and 11th squad had been called. The two other Japanese captain's had decided not to come as they seemed to think they would be risking their lives by being in the same room as Kenpachi when he arrived to this new, all powerful world.

Byakuya looked around with an uninterested look on his face. Two baby blue eyes watched his movement and he turned to look at the girl possessing them with his own hard, dark blue eyes. She had mid length brown hair and a smooth face. Her features taunted him, her lips pulled into a teasing smile. He stared at her for a moment longer before focusing on the male beside her. He was fairly tall with short, spiky, dark grey hair and blue eyes and was grinning with a smile that looked almost identical to Kenpachi's. _Oh no… not another one of _him_…_

Renji watched his captain nervously, looking around as well before focusing on the head captain as she spoke.

"Welcome! I am surprised there is so many of you." She said with an air of warmth.

"I am sorry." Ukatake said with a smile. "We didn't expect it either but we seemed to have a late entry if that's ok. His name is Ichigo Kurosaki and though he's only a substitute he is at a captain's level if not higher."

Hetta held up a hand to his protests. "But of course, that is fine. They are your captains you are getting; remember? I hold no power over who you enter into it." She told the captain and his smile widened.

"Thank you. I will be acting as his captain for this exam; Captain Jushiro Ukatake of the 13th squad." He told her with a small bow. She smiled slightly before nodding to someone who had been standing in the shadow. He came into the light to stand by her with a nervous smile as his eyes flicked around the room nervously. He was fairly short with short brown hair and brown eyes and on his arm was the vice captain's badge with the number one numeral engraved upon it. His face was taught with nerves.

"Thank you Robert. Could you please fetch Yufi? We are in need of her squad's hospitality." Hetta asked her vice with a kindly voice that seemed to set his nerves at ease. He nodded once before flash stepping out the room. Turning back to the others, Hetta began the introductions. "This is Ryan yenta our 11th squad captain and Fraya Payton, our 6th squad captain. They will look after you while you are here. Now if you would please introduce yourselves then you can be on your way."

The shinigami nodded before starting introductions. "As I have said who I am, I think I shall introduce the rest of us." Ukatake said with a smile at the rest of them. Byakuya nodded, his eyes still staying purposefully from Fraya. "The red head behind me is Ichigo; the grumpy one is Byakuya Kuchki." Byakuya's eyes flashed. "Our 6th squad captain and the one standing next to him is his vice, Renji Abari, the one with the bells is Kenpachi Zaraki, our 11th squad captain. The little one with pink hair is Yachiru Kusajishi, his vice and next to them is Ikaku Madarame, their 3rd seat." He explained in a chipper tone, pleased with his introduction and not noticing the dark cloud that loomed over Byakuya or the evil glint in his eyes.

"Ok, then Kenpachi, Yachiru and Ikaku, please go with Ryan and Byakuya and Renji please follow Fraya." She told them and they nodded, following their respective captains through the door leaving Ichigo and Ukatake alone with the head captain. A knock on the door caused them to turn and when Hetta called for them to enter, a tall girl with short, blood red hair and deep purple eyes.

"Ah! Yufi!" Hetta said happily, her arms stretched out before her. The girl smiled, clearly used to her head captain's behaviour. "These two are in need of accommodation. Do you think your squad would be able to take care of them?" she asked the captain as Yufi walked further into the room.

"Of course Hetta." She said with a smile.

"Good. Guys, this is Yufi Clannad and she is the captain of the English 13th squad. Yufi, this is Jushiro Ukatake of the 13th squad in Japan and he is acting captain for their substitute, Ichigo Kurosuchi." Hetta explained curtly before ushering them hurriedly out of the room.

**xxx…xxx**

"Ah! Toushiro!" Kenpachi exclaimed in surprise and amusement as he watched the young shinigami duelling a vice captain in one of the training arena's. The party of Kenpachi, Ryan, Yachiru and Ikaku stopped to watch as he was knocked to the ground by the vice captain he was fighting. "She's good…" Kenpachi murmured, a large grin coming upon his face before he leapt out of the window and ran towards the arena, the others following quickly behind.

"Damn it!" Toushiro cursed as he felt and saw who was coming. Amy, noticing his distraction, lowered her Zampacto and looked over in the direction he was looking. She was startled to see a large man with spiky hair that she had never seen before racing over towards them with his Zampacto in his hand and an evil looking grin on his face she had seen Ryan wearing many times. Taking a step back wards she flinched as the man's course veered towards her.

"Oh poo!" she cried before putting Akane Yuki back in her sheath and flash stepping away faster than ever before. Toushiro watched her for as long as he could before she vanished with a small smile playing at his lips. _She's obviously seen that look before_. He thought wonderingly as Kenpachi stopped next to him; a grin still spread across his lips and the other three came to a halt beside him a few seconds later.

"Damn she's fast!" Kenpachi stated and Toushiro looked up at him with his usual frown.

"What where you chasing her for anyway?" he asked coldly. Kenpachi looked at him, his grin widening.

"To fight her of course! She knocked you over so she must be good!" he explained loudly. Toushiro glared at him.

"With your style of fighting you'd likely kill her." He murmured as he turned away before flash stepping away in the same direction Amy had gone; the 10th squad barracks. _And we wouldn't want that…but what was with the poo remark…?_

**xxx…xxx**

Byakuya and Renji walked in silence as Fraya gave them a tour on the way to the barracks, telling them anything and everything about the soul society in her bell like voice. She talked non stop until Renji had looked out of the window to see a soul reaper with long brown hair that was white at the tips flash stepping very quickly across the rooftops before stopping and looking back to where she had come from with wide but relived eyes.

"Who's she?" he asked, pointing out of the window as he stopped to watch her, her long hair swaying in the wind. Fraya turned to look in the direction he was and smiled.

"Her name is Amelia Jones. She's a very talented soul reaper and is our 10th squad vice captain. She will be working against you in the captain's exam." She told him with a sly look as her baby blue eyes revolved in their sockets to watch the Japanese vice.

"She is bankai level?" Byakuya asked curiously, speaking for the first time since he had arrived. Fraya nodded before turning to look at the captain with a smile.

"She achieved it long ago but we haven't had any spaces for her so she has remained vice captain. This is her chance to become a higher rank." The girl explained. Amy turned to look at the group with a smile before waving and flash stepping away.

"She is fast." Byakuya remarked, his voice impressed in spite of himself. Fraya giggled softly before walking away. Byakuya and Renji followed and their tour began again.

**xxx…xxx**

Ichigo was stunned as he walked through the building behind the pair of 13th captains. The two where chatting happily as they walked down the small corridor that seemed so much like his school only that the windows where slightly smaller. He turned suddenly however as a new voice entered the conversation in front of him and he almost crashed into Yufi but managed to stop himself just in time.

"Good morning captain Clannad." The voice said; silky smooth and trustful. _Defiantly a womaniser…_ Ichigo thought dryly as he looked past the two captains to see a vice captain with short, spiky, jet black hair and brilliant blue eyes, carrying a large amount of paper in his arms.

"Morning Damien. Shouldn't you be training?" Yufi asked with a smile. Damian smiled slightly back before nodding.

"Yes, but Captain Jewels asked me to give these papers to the head captain first. Besides; I don't have an opponent to spar with." He said with an air of regret in his voice.

"What about sparring Ichigo?" she asked lightly, turning to the shinigami behind her. Ichigo nodded slowly.

"That could be fun… captain?" he asked, turning to Ukatake who was slightly surprised at his reference to captain.

"Sure." He said finally, smiling at Ichigo and nodding. Ichigo then turned to Damien who was smiling.

"Follow me then good sir and we can spar after I have given these papers to head captain Hetta!" The boy said jokily, a happy smile upon his face.

"Just remember to bring him back to the 13th squad barracks when you've finished; and in one piece preferably please." Yufi said with a smile.

"Sure sure!" Damien told her before walking past them down the corridor and waving a hand out beside him in a goodbye with Ichigo following closely behind.

**xxx…xxx**

Aiedail yawned loudly as he walked into the main office of the squad's barracks, eyes drowsy as he collapsed onto the sofa.

"Who beat you up today?" Katie asked idly, sitting at her desk and completing her paperwork without looking up at him. Aiedail turned his head towards her with narrowed eyes.

"Soi Fon." He answered dryly, not approving of the insinuation that Katie had made. She sniggered slightly

"I'm surprised you haven't died yet; your either being beat up by her or Amy! It's quite amusing actually…" she stated, a small smile playing at her lips.

"Shut up…" he said coldly, turning over on the sofa so that his front was no longer facing him. Katie stopped writing to look at him for a moment before sighing softly.

"Why don't you go and find a_ guy_ to spar with? I think it could do you some good not to be beaten up by girls all the time."

Aiedail didn't reply. He just pulled himself up from the sofa and walked heavily away, hands in pockets as he walked back out of the room. Katie sighed again before shaking her head, a small smile playing at her features.

Aiedail walked slowly to the training grounds and was surprised when he found the first of the five arenas being used by vice captain Damien and someone with ginger hair he had never seen before but assumed to be one of the Japanese entries. They where using what looked like shiki. Aiedail had seen Damien's flower petal shiki before and it always amazed him but this Japanese guy with his large Zampacto seemed to doge his attacks easily. It was if he had fought the shiki before and that fact seemed to be annoying Damien allot as his features where twisted in annoyance; no matter how fast the small blue petals moved, it was never enough to catch him.

"Hey guys, if I could interrupt a moment?" Aiedail yelled at them as he walked over, his hands in his pockets and a small smile on his face. The pair stopped in their fighting to look down at him and a small smile appeared on Damien's face before he flash stepped over to him.

"Hey Aiedail." He greeted, the blue, petal like blades forming his Zampacto again before he placed it back in his sheath and smiling at his friend. Ichigo followed him at a walk, placing Zangetsu on his back as he strode toward them. "This is Ichigo Kurosaki." Damian was saying. "He's a substitute shinigami from Japan and is going o be entering the captains exam." Then he turned to Ichigo. "And this is Thomas Darkshade, also known as Aiedail. He's our 2nd squad vice captain."

Ichigo nodded before smiling slightly at Aiedail and offering his hand. "Pleased to meet you." He said in his gruff voice. Aiedail smiled back before taking the hand offered to him and shook it.

"The pleasure is mine." He told the red head. "But I do have to wonder; how were you able to dodge Damien's attacks so easily? It was as if you knew what was coming."

Ichigo smiled sheepishly for a moment as he spoke. "There's a captain in the Japanese soul society that has a Zampacto called Zembonzakura. It's basically the same as Damien's but pink and faster." He explained before his features became serious again. "His name is Byakuya Kuchki and he's actually here right now if you want to meet him. He's in the 6th squad barracks."

Damian grinned and nodded. "Sounds cool. Do you think he'll duel me?" he asked Ichigo who shrugged.

"There's no way to tell with him. He might be interested if I tell him your Zampacto ability…" he murmured thoughtfully. Aiedail looked at them.

"Let's go then! I'm sure Fraya wont mind, she fancies Damien." He said with a smirk. Damian glared at him.

"So what if she does? Your just jealous that she doesn't like you!" he teased back before the pair started walking toward the 6th squad barracks to find Byakuya with Ichigo following behind them, a small smile playing at his face.

**oxo…oxo**

**Well that's chapter 3 done and dusted. I hope everyone who is reading this likes it and I hope I've kept them in character. Next chapter is going to be the meeting of the two similar Zampacto's then maybe I might start the exam, ne? ^_^**

**Please review! I love my reviewers!**


	5. Chapter 4

'_**Ten people who speak make more noise than ten thousand who are silent.'**_

**oxo…oxo**

Byakuya frowned as he sat on the 6th squad sofa with Renji next to him, watching Fraya criticising her vice captain, a tall man named Kieran Bennet whom had short blonde hair and blue eyes. She was telling him with great enthusiasm that he was an idiot for not getting more sugar after using the last of it the week before during a strange training session including a variety of different animals and several bottles of sake.

"Well why didn't you get some more then?" she asked in annoyance as she studied the sheepish look on her vice captains face. Her brow was crinkled into a frown and her eyes where flashing angrily. Kieran scratched the back of his head nervously.

"I didn't think you would need any so soon. You hardly ever drink tea…" he finished, cringing under her death glare. Sighing, Fraya turned to the two shinigami sitting on her sofa.

"I am sorry. Are you ok without any sugar?" she asked, worry clear in her eyes. Renji nodded with a small grin and Byakuya just nodded his head with not facial expression change. Fraya smiled softly in relief before hitting her vice around the head with the back of her hand and proceeded to busy herself by making tea worthy of kings. Kieran turned at a knock on the door before walking across the room to open it. Behind the door, three people stood and Byakuya watched coldly as Kieran's face split into a grin.

"Guys!" he cried happily. "What are you doing here?"

A familiar voice answered his question and Kieran's smile became more polite as he looked at the speaker.

"We're looking for Byakuya."

Though he couldn't see the visitors, Byakuya knew that voice anywhere. Getting up suddenly, he walked over to the door, his mouth set into a thin line causing Kieran to shoot out of the doorway. Fraya was watching the scene in slight amusement, sorry for the other two vice captains standing behind the red head whom had spoken. "What do you want Kurosaki?" the Japanese captain bit coldly. Ichigo smirked slightly.

"I wana challenge you to a duel!" he told Byakuya; pointing a finger at him fiercely. Byakuya looked at the substitute blankly and Renji got up to stand behind his captain, eager to see what was going on.

"And what makes you think I want to duel with you?" Byakuya asked, his eyes narrowing into slits as he glared at the shinigami before him. Ichigo scoffed slightly.

"Who said I wanted you to duel _me_?" he asked in his usual gruff voice. Byakuya raised his eyebrow quizzically. In answer to his unspoken question, Ichigo raised his hand and pointed his thumb at the black haired boy behind him. Damian gulped slightly as Byakuya's cold eyes turned on him. Dark eyes scanned the poor soul reaper in the doorway and when his assessment was complete, Byakuya's eyebrow returned to its normal position on his face.

"I think you should be interested in his Zampacto. It will surprise you, believe me." Ichigo stated in a fairly carefree manner. Byakuya turned to look at him, staying silent as ever. Ichigo smiled slightly before his face became a scowl once more. The captain watched his silently for a moment before he nodded slowly.

"What is your name boy?" he asked Damien sharply.

"It's Damien Robins sir." He answered smoothly, a smile twitching at the sides of his mouth. Byakuya watched him for a moment.

"Fine. Let's examine this Zampacto of yours." He said coolly before he folded his arms and proceeded to glare at Ichigo who grinned for a moment before flash stepping from the room with the other six soul reapers following closely behind.

**xxx…xxx**

Toushiro walked smoothly into the 10th squad barracks to find Amy lying on the sofa with her arms over her eyes and Toni playing a game patience at her desk with a small frown on her face. His lips twitched in amusement as he watched his fellow captain ponder over the card game before he walked over to sit on one of the chairs opposite the sofa and picked up the spare deck of cards that had been sitting on the coffee table between the sofa and chairs.

Amy and Toni had taught Toushiro no end of card games in the past week but they had all been games for two players. Watching Amy, he began to shuffle the cards before clearing his throat noisily. Toni looked around at the noise and smiled slightly before turning back to her game. Amy groaned slightly as she moved on arm from over one of her eyes and let it crack open and look at the snowy haired captain in front of her. After a few minutes of watching him shuffle and being sure the cards where so shuffled they where probably in pack order again by now, she swung her legs over the side of the sofa and sat up properly, rubbing her unopened eye to make it work.

"Fine, I'll play." She told him sleepily, a slight smile on her face.

"What game?" he answered coolly, still shuffling the cards in his hand.

"How about sevens?"

"Sounds good to me."

Toushiro began to deal the cards for sevens and Amy continued her fruitless attempts to get all the sleep out of her eyes. They spent most of the game in silence except for occasional knock of 'I can't move'. Suddenly, Amy asked a question.

"So who was that guy from earlier?" she asked as she placed her six of spades down on the pile and Toushiro looked up at her.

"He's our 11th squad captain." He told her before studying his cards and knocking sharply on the table.

"Oh." She replied, laying her five of spades and looking up at him. "Is he always like that?"

"Generally." Toushiro nodded as he laid the four of spades on to the five. "You get used to it."

"And I thought Ryan was bad." Amy murmured in slight exasperation as she laid the ten of hearts on top of the nine that was already there. Toushiro scoffed slightly as he placed the three of spades onto the four.

"Ryan's _your_ 11th squad captain right?" he asked and Amy nodded as she scanned the three cards still in her hand before laying the two of spades. 2And he's nearly as mental as Kenpachi?" Toushiro asked again before he placed his jack of hearts onto the pile, looking at the nearly finished game and realising he was going to lose.

"He can be if he's in the right mood. He's going out with the 4th squad captain who's nice as anything though which doesn't really make sense but she seems to keep him in line." She explained, laying the ace of spades before grinning playfully up at Toushiro having also realised who would win. Toushiro's face remained expressionless as he knocked his fist on the table three times. Giggling slightly, Amy placed her last card; the queen of hearts and Toushiro placed the king nimbly on top.

**xxx…xxx**

The two captains, three vice captains and one substitute flash stepped quickly to the training areas in the middle of the soul society. The biggest and most impressive was the fifth and so they headed there. It didn't take long for them to arrive and so it was barely ten minutes after they had been talking in the 6th squad barracks when Byakuya and Damian stood in the arena, sizing each other up expectantly. Unexpectedly, the vice was the first to move, leaping forward and drawing his Zampacto before crashing into Byakuya's newly drawn Senbonzakura. They stayed like that for a while, battling their strength, before Byakuya became impatient. Pushing Damien away he managed to fling the vice across the arena where he landed on his feet after doing a back flip in mid air.

"Release your Zampacto!" he yelled coldly at the vice. Damian grinned.

"Ok." He yelled back. "But expect to be surprised! Scatter, blue petal!" he said, releasing his Zampacto as he held it out in front of him. Byakuya's eyes widened slightly as he watched the vice captains Zampacto scatter like his own. The only difference he could find was the name and colour.

"I told him so." Ichigo muttered as he watched the two shinigami's eyes widen.

"No way!" Renji exclaimed loudly, his mouth hanging open in shock. Fraya looked at them, puzzled.

"What? Why is it so surprising?" she asked the red head curiously. Ichigo, noticing Renji was not likely to reply any time soon, answered for him.

"You'll soon see." He told her, keeping his eyes pinned on Byakuya whom had just raised his own Zampacto so that it cut a line of steel through his face.

"Scatter, Senbonzakura." He said softly and the soul reapers gasped as his Zampacto copied Damien's with its pink petals. The two sets of petals whirled around their owners before speeding forwards and crashing into each other, neither making any headway.

"We could be here a while." Aiedail noted bluntly as he watched the pair battle, ach trying to get ahead of the other.

"Still, its weird seeing captain Byakuya so unable to be wining a fight like this." Renji muttered, still in slight surprise.

"Shall we go for some tea?" Kieran asked as he watched the pair duel. The other four nodded before flash stepping to the 13th squad barracks to have some tea with some sugar.

**oxo…oxo**

**Well that's the end of the 4****th**** chapter! Hope your enjoying it and hope you continue to read and review!**

**Please review! **


	6. Chapter 5

**oxo…oxo**

The day of the exam was upon them and many vice captains could be seen making their way towards the 5th arena where the exam was to be held. Strangely, the arena seemed to have transformed overnight from a large, dusty expanse of land and a few stalls for spectators to a huge maze with walls that towered over the applicants and rows upon rows of seating for the large crowd to watch from that towered above even the maze walls. It was a spectacular sight to see.

The chosen applicants where, from England, 1st squad vice Captain Robert Benter, 2nd squad vice captain Thomas Darkshade, 3rd squad vice captain Jason Davies, a guy with long, grey hair and dark blue eyes, 6th squad vice captain Kieran Bennett, 8th squad vice captain Leah Benning, 9th squad vice captain Damien Robins and 10th squad vice captain Amelia Jones. From Japan; 6th squad vice Captain Renji Abari, the 11th squad 3rd Seat Ikaku Madarame and substitute shinigami Ichigo Kurosaki.

All of these people where currently standing at one of the several entrances to the maze feeling scared. They had had an orientation earlier on and as Amy stared up at the huge walls of the maze with Leah standing next to her, she decided to reflect upon the instructions Hetta had given them…

"_What you have to do is get from one of the entrances too the maze to the middle and get one of the three captains haori's that are sat in the middle. You will all be against each other, you are allowed to use bankai and only the first three to the centre will make the jump to captain. Now remember, the maze may seem large and scary from the outside bust it's even larger and scarcer on the inside. But even so I want you to all do your best and make your captains proud."_

The brunette sighed. Her friend hadn't been much help to her really and she was still scared shittless. _I think it's the waiting that does it._ She thought in vague annoyance. _I really could do with the starting bell going off right now…_

"Amy?" Leah piped up, causing Amy to turn and look at her with a questioning smile. "How long do you think it will be?" the blonde asked, twisting her hands around each other in boredom and restlessness. Amy shrugged before continuing on the circle she was walking around Leah. The girl watched her intently before frowning. "Do you have to circle me like a shark?" she asked in annoyance.

"Sorry." Amy answered sheepishly. "It keeps me from getting bored. Besides, I think I was a shark or a vulture in a past life…"

Leah chuckled slightly before pausing and looking up as a bell rang clear through the arena. Amy looked up as well before nodding to Leah. "Good luck." She offered as she entered the maze.

"You too." Leah answered and they entered the maze, walking a little way together before they split, Leah turning left and Amy right. Amy wandered through the maze absently for what seemed like an age before she came upon her first challenge. It was a hollow. Amy sighed as she looked up at the fairly low level hollow in front of her before she flash stepped up to it and kicked it in the mask, killing it without even drawing her Zampacto. Smiling slightly, she moved on.

**xxx**

Aiedail had started with Renji and they were walking quickly in the same direction having found only dead ends every other way. "Do you think this is the right direction? We haven't met anything yet…" Renji asked as they walked, looking over at the soul reaper beside him.

"We must be. The other way was a dead end, right?" Aiedail answered calmly, hiding his inner fear from view of the outside world. _I wonder how Amy is doing…_he thought dryly. _Probably allot better than me at any rate. _

The pair carried on with each other for another few minutes before they came across another split and this time they broke away from each other, Aiedail going right while Renji continued forward. It didn't take long for Renji to find another of the starting places. The only thing with this was the fact that it was Ichigo and Ikaku whom had started there. Naturally, this meant that they where having a sparring match on who was going to go which way.

"You go left!" Ikaku shouted angrily at an obviously pissed Ichigo.

"Why? Why can't you go left? It was you that suggested that going left would be the best option for us!" the red head yelled back intensely. Renji shook his head in slight embarrassment and exasperation. Normally he would have split the argument up and bashed their heads together but the thought of having either one of them as his captain wasn't a pleasing notion so he decided to slip past them quietly and let them spend the whole exam fighting.

**xxx**

Aiedail looked up at the half visible kido barrier in annoyance. It was a pain but at least he now knew he was going the right way. Sighing slightly, he placed his hands together in a symbol before he began to mutter words. Slowly but gracefully, the barrier began to dissolve in the air and when he had finished it was gone. Satisfied, he continued down the path.

Soon, he heard a loud rumbling sound coming from behind him and looking behind him he blanched as he saw a large red ice tornado race around the corner with a smug looking Amy sitting atop it. "Oi!" he cried in frustration as he dived out of the way of the deadly tornado that came past him. "Could you not run me over please?"

There was no reply from the soul reaper as she rounded the next corner but Aiedail swore he could hear her giggles for several minutes after.

**xxx**

Amy sat atop her bankai while steering it gracefully; making not to kill anyone she passed. She had not needed to use her bankai but it had seemed the fastest and most fun way to complete the maze. From her high vantage point atop the ice tornado she could see over the walls and the tornado itself used its ice shards and rotation to blast any obstacles out of the way. It really was a perfect strategy and nearly running Aiedail over had been a treat in and of itself.

Looking around she spotted Robert Benter walking along one of the routes that lead to a dead end. _Ops! _She thought sheepishly. _I'll pretend I didn't see that so he won't know I didn't help him…_ she thought guiltily before he was out of sight again and she was closer to the middle.

**xxx**

After quickly passing Ichigo and Ikaku, Renji had turned down the next turn and came across a very strange sight. Thousands of hell butterflies where fluttering around in the pathway, each screaming in an almost excruciatingly high pitched voice: "which one of us is the English head captains voice?"

Renji sweat dropped as he listened to them, each voice sounding like it was on helium and each reminding him of that dreaded meeting with Ichigo. He shivered slightly at the thought. He looked quickly over at Kieran whom was standing in the hallway and looked deep in thought.

"It's that one!" he said finally, pointing at one of the butterflies. "No, wait! It's that one over there! No, there!" he continued, pointing at each one individually. Renji shook his head before he continued on through the maze, walking straight through the line of hell butterflies.

**xxx**

Damian smiled. After killing five hollows and dissolving fifteen kido barriers he had finally made it near the middle. If he rounded this corner he would be there, he knew it. _I would love it if I was the first one there!_ He thought gleefully, his smile widening into a happy grin.

His face fell however as he rounded the corner to see Amy; looking at each haori and putting it against her to see which she liked best. Slowly, she turned, looking at Damien and grinning. "which do you thinks the best, number three or number five?" she asked him happily and he sighed before smiling back at her.

"I don't know. You choose one and I'll take the other, ok?" he asked calmly, his head tilted slightly to one side. Amy nodded slowly before chucking him one of the white haori's. Looking down he saw that it was the number 5 one. _So I'm to be captain of the 5__th__ squad hu? _He thought as he held the white fabric in his hand before slowly pulling it on, like Amy was doing next to him. It fit well and when he turned to look at the 3rd squad captain he saw that hers did too.

"I wonder who will be next." Amy said wonderingly, looking at the three entrances. Suddenly, she gasped as Renji came around the corner of one of the entrances, Zabimaru unsheathed and in shikai. Hearing a clanging sound the three turned to look at Aiedail whom had walked round the corner of the opposite entrance. The two stared at each other for a moment before Aiedail came back to himself and threw his Zampacto at Renji. The shinigami froze, terrified as the pair of swords hurtled towards him. Amy dodged as they whizzed past her, no fear in her face what so ever.

The chain in between the sword pair caught Renji in the throat, pulling him backwards and pinning him to the wall where the swords had buried themselves deep into the concrete. Lifting his hands up to his neck, Renji tried fruitlessly to move the swords chain from its position but it was useless. He was stuck.

Aiedail walked forwards slowly before reflexively catching the white haori thrown at him. He looked up at the grinning Amy in wonder before turning the fabric over and reading the number on the back. "Squad nine." He murmured softly before he put the haori on and listened to the dull roaring of the crowd as they celebrated the end of the exam.

**oxo…oxo**

**Please REVIEW! I only have one and I need more! **


	7. Chapter 6

**Ok, for people who have already been reading this and have just gotten an email saying the next chapter is out, go to chapter 8. I've been fidling with the story and thats when the story picks up again from when you last read it...**

**oxo…oxo**

"Three English guy's hu?" Kenpachi asked; his usual grin still on his face. Soi Fon nodded slowly on answer, her deep blue eyes scanning the three new captains in front of them. They were in the head captain's office, still in England, and the Japanese captains who had come where standing in a line with the three very nervous new captains's standing opposite. Hetta was sat her desk, watching them in amusement.

"Not quite what you expected; was it?" she asked the room. Kenpachi's grin widened as his head turned towards the blonde. He was standing with his hands resting slightly on his hips, slouching slightly as he observed the proceedings.

"No. I can't say it was." He replied with a smirk, his eyes meeting Hetta's for a moment before the girl looked away from him and turned to Ukatake.

"So what is your plan, Taichou?"

The white haired man looked at her for a moment before smiling widely. "We need to be off really." He answered politely. "Our head captain would like it if we could get back as soon as possible. There seem to have been some disturbances as of late and it seems unwise to have too many captains away."

Hetta nodded slowly; her smile still in place. "I trust these three will be able to gather their things and say goodbye?" she asked in a tone that wanted for no argument. Ukatake smiled politely before bowing.

"Of course."

Amy smiled slightly. She was glad she would have the chance to say goodbye to her sister before she left for good but was startled by Hetta's voice cutting through her thoughts and looked over at the blonde with wide, surprised eyes. "Off you go then guys." She told them playfully. "You better get to it!"

Taking the sentence as a dismissal the three of them smiled before walking out of the room, splitting up and flash stepping to their individual squad barracks. As they left, Toushiro's eyes found Amy and his mind wandered back to what happened just after the end of the exam.

_Aiedail looked around in surprise, his captain's haori lying still upon his body. The crowd was cheering, Amy and Damien were smiling and, slowly, he began to smile too; the shock of actually becoming a captain wearing off slightly._

_Suddenly, a large explosion rattled the arena violently. Looking up, the three new captains felt two very familiar reitsu spark suddenly, they understood. _

"_You did not just say that!" Fraya yelled angrily at a sheepish looking Ryan. The 11__th__ squad captain held his hands up in surrender. _

"_I only said you were looking bigger today; I didn't mean to offend you!" he tried to explain unsuccessfully. Fraya was beside herself, shaking with anger, her reitsu spiraling out of control as she glared at the now slightly scared boy._

"_Didn't mean to offend…" she muttered angrily, her eyes flashing as she drew her Zampacto. Ryan's eyes widened slightly before a wave of nausea hit him as his seat blew up, filling the air with black smoke. The audience watched in fear as Fraya continued to beat Ryan up; the captain struggling to defend himself. _

"_Um, hello…?" Amy tried, waving her hands above her head from her position in the maze. "What about us? You know, newly made captains and all…"_

_But she was ignored. Frowning, she flashed stepped up to where the pair were fighting (if it could really be called a fight) and yelled loudly whilst sending out a mass of reitsu. "Stop it!2_

_The pair froze in their tracks with wide eyes before they fell to their knees under the influence of her spiritual pressure. Amy put her hands on her hips before flitting back down to the maze and leaving the captains with the more than slightly startled audience._

Amy had released allot of pressure then and the fact that she had taken out two captains with it meant it was stupidly high, maybe even as high as Ichigo's; and she knew how to use it. That made it more powerful.

Toushiro wondered if the other two had as much reitsu as Amy and if they could control it too. From what he had seen, Aiedail seemed to be the expert on kido. He had used it allot during the exam and it had been fairly interesting to watch, especially what he had done after; taking his swords away from Renji's neck and keeping him there by kido instead just for fun. It had been quite funny for the shinigami captain to watch the red head squirm and yell; trying desperately to get loose.

Hetta looked around at the Japanese captains left in her office and, noticing Toushiro's glazed eyes, smiled. "Are you all just going to stand there?" she asked, watching their individual faces in amusement. Slowly, they flied out but Ukatake stayed for a moment.

"It's nice to see you again Hetta." He said softly. Hetta smiled.

"You too. I have missed you, my friend."

**xxx…xxx**

Katie smiled as Aiedail walked through the door in his captain's haori. She had to admit that it suited him, however much she didn't want to lose her vice.

"When are you leaving?" she asked. Aiedail looked at her slightly sheepishly.

"Later today I believe." He answered and Katie got up to walk over to him. He took a step back slightly in worry; not knowing what she was going to do. He was surprised then, when Katie threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. It to a moment for the gesture to register but soon he was wrapping his arms around her waist and hugging her back with a smile.

They had been like family to each other after all. Katie had picked Aiedail up off of the street of the Rukongai when he was little and she had taken him the soul reaper academy where he had met her older sister, Amy. Katie had taken care of him and given him a home.

"I'll miss you." She murmured into his ear. Aiedail pulled away, smiling at his captain.

"I'll miss you too." He told her and watched happily as she smiled.

"Good luck with where you're going." She told him and he nodded. "Go and say goodbye to the rest of the squad. I'm going to the 10th squad barracks." She finished and Aiedail nodded again before smiling wider and walking off, farther into the barracks.

Watching him go, Katie felt a small smile grace her lips before she turned and walked purposely form the barracks and down the hall in the direction of the 10th squad.

**xxx…xxx**

Toni looked up as Amy walked through the door of the office and walked towards her captain with a smile on her face. The captain turned in her chair to face her vice with a happy smile.

"Amy! What is it? Are you leaving for Japan already?" she asked in a chipper voice. She was sad Amy was leaving but was happy for the girl as she was now going up in the world and getting more powerful. Amy nodded, a small, sad smile playing at her features.

Toni stood up quickly before walking over to her friend and hugging her tight. Amy hugged back, hot tears making their best efforts to escape from her eyes but she refused to let them fall. "I'll miss you Toni." She whispered into her captains ears. Toni smiled before pulling out of their embrace and turning t the door to see Katie leaning against the doorframe with a small smile. Amy smiled as she looked at her sister before she ran up to her younger sister and threw her arms around her neck, holding her close. This time she couldn't stop one of the tears from leaving a hot path down her cheek.

Katie hugged her sister back as if hugging her would stop her from leaving but she knew it was no good. "I'm sure you will go far Amy. Don't forget us, kay?" she whispered and Amy pulled back with an overly happy smile.

"Course I wont. I'll visit as much as possible." She assured her sister. Katie laughed happily as tears ran down her face. Wiping them away, she hugged her sister again. When they pulled away again, the tears where gone and Amy was swamped by the majority of the 10th squad. "Wow!" Amy cried as she was thrown t the ground by a mob of people and soon the room was filled with flailing limbs.

Funnily enough, it was then that Toushiro decided to make an appearance. He soon regretted it as the mob (and Amy) took one look at the shinigami before they decided to mob him instead. Amy, being the head of the mob, landed on him first, taking him off his feet and landing on top of him on the floor before the rest of the squad fell on top of them.

Katie and Toni where laughing so hard at the Japanese captain's expression as he looked up to see Amy's face inches form his own. "Your face is all red Taichou!" a unfamiliar voice cut into the laugher and Toushiro turned his head to see his vice, Matsumoto, standing in the doorway with Momo; both laughing there heads off at the blush that was now getting redder on the shinigami captains face.

"Matsumoto…!" he growled. "What are you doing here?"

The red head beamed at her captain, still giggling. Momo looked at her friend with a smile before answering Toushiro's question. "We where sent to try and hurry you up slightly. Head captain Yammamoto is getting… impatient." She said with a smile at Amy who was looking at the black haired girl curiously from her position on Toushiro's chest. "I'm Momo Hinamori, vice captain of the 5th squad." She explained to Amy before introducing the red head still laughing beside her. "And this is Rangiku Matsumoto."

Amy nodded at the pair before fruitlessly trying to get up and being stopped by the wall of soul reapers on top of her. She frowned in annoyance and Toushiro sighed. _I have the feeling this is going to be a long day._ He thought dryly as he felt his face cooling and, hopefully, whitening.

"Get off me!" Amy yelled at the people on top off her and they hurriedly moved aside to let the pair on the floor up. "Thank you." She sighed, brushing herself down before smiling around the room, taking it in for the last time for a while. Suddenly, her eyes widened and she rushed further into the barracks before running back with a small satchel on her shoulders. Her eyes met Katie's as she raced back into the room and the younger girl immediately knew what was in that pouch, but she said nothing; only smiling at her older sister in a knowing way.

Amy smiled back sheepishly under her scrutiny until, slowly, she turned to Toushiro. "Ok. I'm ready." She told him with a small smile. Toushiro nodded, trying hard to keep himself from smiling back in front of his subordinates and friends.

Waving to everyone, Amy followed her fellow captain out of the room and along the corridor with Momo, Rangiku and Robert Benter (whom had accompanied the two shinigami to the 10th squad barracks in the first place) following slowly behind.

**xxx…xxx**

Damien walked into his barracks quickly, going straight to his room before coming back out and looking at his captain, Shannon Jewels. She was sat doing paperwork at her desk, her long, curly brown hair falling softly over her shoulders and her brown eyes glowing as she watched her pen flow smoothly over the paper.

"Goodbye captain." He said loudly and her writing stopped before her eyes flickered up to look at the boy in front of her. Her head rose slowly and she absently tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Goodbye Damien. I wish you well." She replied. He was surprised to hear a note of sadness in her usually emotionless voice. She had never been particularly open with him; she had always closed herself off from him and, sometimes, it hurt. Even so, she had never treated him with mistrust or any sort of meanness. And yet, now, there was emotion in her voice. It scared him slightly that it was now, when he was leaving, that she had decided to let him in slightly.

"Thank you captain; I will… think of you often." He said, bowing slightly with a small smile on his face and, suddenly, she smiled back. He felt his eyes widening and forced them back to normal before allowing his smile to grow before he waved at walked out of the door, leaving his old life forever.

**oxo…oxo**

**Sorry for the wait guys, I've got tons of coursework at the mo…**

**Hope you like it and remember, I live on reviews so please, review!**


	8. Chapter 7

**oxo…oxo**

Amy, Toushiro, Matsumoto, Momo and Robert met Leah in the hallway. Her arms held papers and her face was filled with shock.

"Amy!" she cried, pushing the papers into a stunned Robert's arms before flinging hers around Amy's neck.

"Leah! Can't breathe…!" Amy stammered, struggling fruitlessly against Leah's strong grip. The blonde shot back before putting her hands behind her back and grinning apologetically back at her. Amy smiled, rubbing her hand over her neck gingerly.

"I'm _so_ going to miss you!" Leah told her, walking back over to the group.

"I'll miss you too." Amy replied, hugging her friend with slightly less vigour. Leah smiled and hugged her back. "I'm sure I can visit." Amy told her softly. "Right?" she asked, turning to the shinigami beside her. Matsumoto smiled kindly.

"Course." She said reassuringly. "Why wouldn't you?"

Amy smiled back at her thankfully. She had been worried for a moment that she wouldn't be able to see her friends and family ever again. _How silly of me!_ She thought. _What reason would they have to do that?_

Suddenly, there was a yell from behind them; an angry yell. Amy turned slowly to face the person who had yelled knowing full well who it was going to be. "Did you really think you would be able to leave without saying goodbye to us now did you?" a female voice accused.

At the end of the corridor stood three soul reapers. The one who had spoken was a short female vice with short brown hair and green eyes and the two with her where a male captain with mousy brown, curly hair and green eyes and a male vice with long, grey hair and dark blue eyes. The captain was smiling and the male vice was looking indifferent but the girl was frowning in mock anger at Amy.

"Hey Ellie." Amy greeted nervously, deciding to start with her as she looked slightly annoyed.

"Don't you hey Ellie me." Ellie snapped; putting her hands on her hips before stalking towards Amy. She paused a moment, watching Amy before she smiled and threw her arms around her neck.

"Love you too Ellie." Amy told her cheerfully. She and Ellie had been friends since back at the academy. She had always been feisty and that made her a strong opponent; especially when she was underestimated. Ellie let go and grinned at Amy cheekily. The new captain grinned back before turning as she felt a hand on her head. Slowly, she looked up to see the captain standing behind her with a cheesy grin on his face.

"Hey Jake." Amy said, turning to face him.

"Yo." He replied, lifting his hand from her head and waving it in front of her. She smiled before hugging him. He was also someone she had known since the academy but he had progressed allot faster than her and had become captain just before she had graduated.

"Don't forget about me." A voice whispered into her ear and she jumped, clutching her heart in shock.

"Jason! Would you not do that please!" she gasped and watched as his face broke into one of his rare smiles. He usually walked the halls with a dark cloud of depression and pessimism but when he smiled it seemed to leave; if only for a moment. They had met during her brief stint in the 3rd squad. He had been the vice already and she was a newbie, just starting out. He had looked after her and she had found that around his depressing nature, he was a good guy.

"I'll miss you all." She said quietly, a small smile on her face as she turned back to Toushiro. He nodded before continuing down the corridor with Amy, Momo, Matsumoto and Robert (still with Leah's papers) followed behind, leaving the others behind in the corridor.

**xxx…xxx**

They met Aiedail and Damien outside the office; by some stroke of luck they had managed to arrive at the same time.

"Ah!" Amy started as she saw Damien. "Momo! It's your new captain!"

Momo turned at her shout and her face became red as she took in the two males in front of her. "Oh… which one?" she asked quietly. Toushiro raised his eyebrows at her look. Amy grinned.

"The black haired one. His name is Damien Robins." She informed the shinigami with a smile. Momo looked at her before Turing back to the two approaching men.

"Hey guys!" Aiedail greeted with a wave. "Who are your friends?"

"Momo Hinamori and Rangiku Matsumoto." Amy replied, pointing to each of them as she said their names. The two girls smiled at him. "Momo will be you're vice Damien." Amy concluded happily. The boy's eyes scanned the short shinigami girl before smiling.

"Nice to meet you miss." He said, bowing before taking her hand and placing a kiss on her fingers. Momo's face was like a tomato, bright red and Toushiro and Matsumoto were stunned. Amy, Aiedail and Robert were beaming, knowing this was his normal was of greeting a girl for him and also knowing the Japanese _didn't_ know that.

"Nice to meet you too." Momo answered politely and shyly. Damian grinned.

"Come on." Aiedail said in amusement. "We can't keep them waiting too much longer."

Damian smiled before stepping away from the flustered girl. Knocking at the door they walked in at the word from Hetta. The other Japanese captains had assembled earlier and watched the group as they walked towards the desk.

"Robert!" Hetta exclaimed as she saw her vice captain with the group. "Whose papers are they?"

Robert smiled at her shyly, still not used to the amount of important people in the room. "It's Leah's. She asked me if I could take I for he seeing as I was going anyway."

Amy looked at him with furrowed eyebrows but said nothing; Leah had asked nothing of the sort. Hetta's smile widened and she nodded as Robert placed the papers onto her desk before turning back to the others. "Well I guess its time then. Are you ready?" she asked, directing the last part of her sentence to the three leaving her service. They all nodded quietly; excited but nervous about their change in location and new captains ranks. Amy glanced at Aiedail nervously and he returned her gaze steadily. It calmed her slightly and she smiled. Hetta smiled proudly at the three of them. They had all been her students at one part of their lives, though some more than others.

Slowly, a large door appeared in the middle of the room. It was a lot like the ones they used to get from the soul society to the world of the living but was decorated differently and more western, having a handle and swinging door that was made of wood rather than paper. Aiedail, Amy and Damien looked at it nervously. It was the same door that normally took them to the world of the living but for some reason, this one made them nervous.

Amy took a tentative step forward before looking back at the girl who had raised her. Smiling sadly, she turned and ran at Hetta before throwing her arms around the girl.

"See you Hetta." She whispered into the slightly shocked girl's ear before letting go, opening and walking through the soul door. Hetta smiled.

"See you" she whispered softly as the others followed Amy through the glowing doorway, a small tear leaving an invisible trail down her cheek.

**oxo…oxo**

**Sorry for the wait. I wasn't sure how to go about writing this but I did it! Even if it's short… **

**Please, REVIEW! When you review it makes it all worth while…**


	9. Chapter 8

**oxo****…oxo**

Damien stopped suddenly as a large amount of riutsu paralysed him; still inside the portal taking them to the Japanese soul society. The others had decided to have a race but Damien had never been any good at quick flash stepping and quickly fell behind. It had been then that he had found himself on his knees, unable to move. His eyes were wide as he saw a man appear in front of him. He was wearing white, had brown hair and was sporting a rather sinister looking smirk upon his face. Damian gulped.

"Who are you?" he gasped, his mouth being the only thing still able the move.

"Me? My name is Aizen." The man said, looking at the boy with a strange look on his face that he didn't recognise.

"What do you want?" Damien asked, his fear growing as Aizen watched him. He knew that name and he knew it was bad news. Aizen turned away and walked further up the portal before turning back to look at him, the smirk on his face growing.

"You." He stated simply before drawing his sword.

**xxx…xxx**

"That was so much fun!" Amy cried happily as she flash stepped out of the portal with Byakuya seconds behind her. He grunted quietly before folding his arms and waited. It didn't take too long before the rest minus Damien were out of the portal.

Aiedail gasped as he looked round at the Seireitei. They were standing on top one of the yellow bricked buildings looking over the city. "It's beautiful!" he exclaimed softly. The Japanese soul society was a lot bigger than its English neighbour and the pair marvelled at its size and splendour. Suddenly, Amy looked around frowning.

"Where's Damien?" she asked quizzically. The others looked back at the portal.

"Well, he never was particularly good at flash stepping quickly…" Aiedail murmured thoughtfully as Amy flash stepped closer to the portal, leaning to see further inside.

"I'm sure he'll be out soon." Toushiro assured her and she turned to look at him, her face expressionless for a moment before she grinned suddenly. Toushiro noted the way her lips twitched every other second.

"Yeah!" she replied cheerily. Toushiro's eyes narrowed slightly. She seemed too cheery for it to be genuine.

"In fact, here he is now!" Ichigo stated, looking past everyone else and at the portal where a very out-of-breath Damien stood; breathing heavily with his hands on his knees.

"I am so unfit." Damian stated simply and Amy smiled.

"What kept you?" Aiedail asked curiously, a small smile on his face. Damian frowned.

"You know as well as I do how bad at flash step racing I am! I'm ok in combat because of adrenalin but now… shesh!" he panted, struggling to gain his breath back. Then, he looked up. "Wow…"

Amy sniggered. "So where do we need to go?" she asked Toushiro.

"To the head captain's office." He told them and began to run swiftly along the rooftops followed closely by the others. It didn't take them long to arrive at their destination where head captain Yamamoto was waiting for them. Their numbers had dwindled on the way over, each one by one going off on their own until only Damien, Aiedail, Amy and Toushiro remained. Toshiro decided he preferred it this way, things were less complicated when there where less of you.

"Captain Hitsugaya." The head captain greeted with a nod of his head. "So these are the three English members who passed our test so well?" he asked, his voice hoarse and rough as he opened his eyes to study the three in front of him. Amy was on Toushiro's right with Aiedail next to her on her left and Damien on his left. Toushiro nodded slightly before letting his eyes slide sideways in order to glance at them.

"Yes sir. Amelia Jones, Thomas Darkshade and Damien Robins sir." He replied verbally, his aqua eyes flitting quickly back to the old man in front of him as the head captain turned his eyes on him. Then, slowly, the head captain nodded.

"Good. Give them a Japanese uniform each before giving them a tour. I will leave you in charge of making sure they know their duties and what is expected of them. Dismissed." He declared. They bowed respectfully before Toushiro led them out of the room.

"Holy cow." Amy breathed as they strolled through the barracks, far enough away from the first squad that she felt safe enough to speak again. "I've never been so scared in my life…!"

"Now I understand just how much Hetta let us get away with." Aiedail commented wryly. Damien sighed heavily and nodded. Toushiro smirked.

"Well I suggest you get used to it. He's your head captain now and that was him on a _good_ day." He told them coolly. Amy shuddered at the thought. That old man had really creped her out; she wasn't sure she would ever get used to it. as they walked into the tenth squad barracks (Toushiro had decided it would be easiest to get their uniforms from his own barracks where he knew where things were) they found themselves ambushed by an excited looking Matsumoto. Toushiro looked at her with an impatient frown as she babbled on about something Omaeda had told her earlier.

"And then he said-" she was saying before Toushiro cut her off.

"Matsumoto. Can you get Amy a uniform please while I sort Aiedail and Damien?" he asked her, trying his best to hide his frustration as she blinked at him, her expression slightly abashed at being interrupted. Then she sealed her lips together and nodded before smiling at a nervous looking Amy and beckoning her forwards. Toushiro sighed at her antics before moving towards the male uniform cupboard.

"So, do you know what size you are?" Matsumoto asked seriously as she looked through the shelves of marked boxes. Amy frowned slightly before looking up at a waiting Matsumoto.

"Well I'm a size twelve in England… if that means anything to you?" she asked the strawberry blonde hesitantly. She didn't know the sizes here. Matsumoto put her finger to her lit in thought for a moment, seemingly working something out, before her eyes brightened and she proceeded to pull one of the boxes off the shelf. When it was on the floor she opened it and grinned.

"Try this one." She said, pulling a black shinigami uniform out of the box and holding it up in front of her. It was wrapped in a plastic packaging but Matsumoto quickly ripped the plastic apart and threw the garment at Amy who proceeded to change quickly and under the watchful eye of Matsumoto who made sure she did it up properly. It fit perfectly and Amy looked up at the blonde in surprise as she slipped her Zampacto into the while belt.

"How did you know?" she asked the Lieutenant in surprise. Matsumoto shrugged slightly before grinning.

"Clothes shopping. It helps you get a good perspective of the human figure." She explained simply. Amy nodded slightly before pulling her haori back on and following her new friend back to the office where Toushiro was waiting for them, the usual scowl on his face. Aiedail and Damien stood behind him, newly dressed in their shinigami uniform.

"What took you so long?" the young captain snapped. Amy cringed slightly and Matsumoto grimaced before looking at her captain with an innocent look which only proceeded to make him more annoyed.

"Do you know how hard it is for a woman to find clothes that fit? First it was too big and then it didn't fit her breasts! It took ages for me to find the perfect fit!" she complained, causing the three men and Amy to go a shade pinker. It was a downright lie of course but it changed the atmosphere so much it go them off the hook.

"Whatever." The white haired captain sighed before turning to walk out. "I'll take each of you to your own squad barracks starting with the ninth. Your lieutenants can give you a tour of your barracks and then the society itself if you choose." He told them matter of fatly before walking out of the door. Amy waved at Matsumoto before following him slowly out of the office.

**oxo…oxo**

**Ok, I am SO sorry for the delay in this chapter. I honestly ran out of ideas! But now I have some and I should be getting more soon… my writers block is gone! For a bit at least…**

**Please review! It'll make my day!**


	10. Chapter 9

**oxo…oxo**

Shuhei Hisagi was waiting in his office when Toushiro and all three of the new captains came in. looking up, he just stared at them as they filed inside, looking around intently. Only Toushiro was looking at him and he decided to stand up, as it really was the polite thing to do.

"Shuhei, this is Thomas Darkshade. He will be your new captain." The small captain explained bluntly, motioning towards the only one of the new captains that wasn't now focused on the lieutenant. Shuhei bowed slightly at Toushiro before moving his eyes to Aiedail who, at a nudge from Amy, had decided to look at him.

"Yes captain Hitsugaya."

"Aiedail, this is your lieutenant, Shuhei Hisagi. He will help you get your bearings." He told the purple haired boy before walking to the door. Amy grinned at both Shuhei and Aiedail before following Toushiro out, Damien just in front of her. The pair left in the room just looked at each other for a moment before Aiedail offered his hand in greeting. Shuhei smiled slightly before grasping it. Aiedail grinned.

**xxx…xxx**

"Momo!" Toushiro yelled as he waked through the fifth squad barracks. She hadn't been in her office where she should have been, forcing the trio to look for her elsewhere. They hadn't been roaming the corridors long but it was long enough to try on Toushiro's patience. Suddenly a black haired head popped curiously from round a door.

"Yes Shiro-chan?" she asked innocently.

"That's captain Hitsugaya. Anyway, can you look after captain Robins please? He needs to get his bearings." Toushiro asked, forcing his voice to be calm. Momo grinned.

"Sure. Would you like to follow me captain robins?" she asked shyly. Damien grinned back at her.

"I would be honoured Momo." He answered before following her round the corner. Toushiro sighed heavily.

"Hey, your taking care of us is almost over! Rejoice in your being able to get rid of us." Amy encouraged with a smile. Toushiro looked at her for a moment before continuing down the corridor towards third.

"Yes but that means I have to deal with Matsumoto." He told her heavily, causing her to giggle slightly.

"She's not that bad. I like her." She told him happily. He raised his eyebrow before shaking his head and saying nothing. This caused Amy to giggle again as they began to flash step through the soul society, arriving at the thirds squad barracks in a small amount of time. Walking into the main office, Amy looked around. This office looked no different form any of the others but there was something about it she liked. Maybe it was just the fact that it was _hers_.

Izuru Kira sat behind the desk, watching in surprise as Toushiro came in. his surprise lifted slightly when Amy came in next, her eyes bright as she studied the office that would soon be her own. He wondered what she was thinking as she looked at the walls. They were no different to any of the other offices so why should she find it as interesting as she did.

"Good morning captain Hitsugaya." Kira greeted formally, his eyes not really looking at the young captain. Amy looked round at the blonde, her eyes twinkling as she studied him. He thought her eyes looked calculating, as if she were trying to figure out a puzzle and put it back together.

"Good morning Izuru. This is Amelia Jones and as you may have already figured out she is the new captain of the third squad. Please help her get her bearings." Toushiro informed the lieutenant before watching as the blond bowed and leaving the room, smiling slightly as Amy waved him goodbye.

Amy turned to the boy in front of her in interest. He seemed to be fairly shy, looking at the way he didn't quite meet her eyes and that he had his fringe covering the left side of his face. Then she smiled.

"Hey, it's nice to meet you." She told him with a smile. He looked up at her before bowing slightly.

"Likewise, captain Jones." He replied before rising again and looking up to see that Amy had a strange look on her face. He raised an eyebrow slightly before hesitantly asking; "what is it captain?" she blinked before smiling slightly.

"Oh, nothing really. I was just thinking that this is going to take a long time to get used to…" she replied. Then, suddenly, she groaned before turning to the door just as an over excited Aiedail flitted in; barging straight through the door with so much force it almost broke.

"Amy! This place is great! I've only seen half of it but its already bigger than England! It so cool!" he told her excitedly, ignoring the now shocked looking lieutenant. Shuhei walked in behind him with an annoyed frown on his face, his arms by his sides as he studied his new captain.

"Sorry Shuhei!" Amy called, poking her face round the still ranting Aiedail. "He'll calm down in a couple of days but if he ever gets too much just give him a cup of tea or something. That usually helps." She told the boy dryly causing his mouth to twitch slightly in amuse meant and Aiedail to frown, cutting off from his earlier rant. Then she turned back to Kira with an apologetic look on her face. "This is Thomas Darkshade, new captain of the ninth squad. Aiedail, this is…" she furrowed her eyes in confusion. "What's your full name? Izuru something wasn't it?" she asked, her voice confused but apologetic. Kira blinked.

"Izuru Kira." He told her as he tried to get used to the madness that had suddenly appeared. Amy grinned before turning back to Aiedail. He was still frowning but his expression cleared as he turned to the lieutenant.

"Nice to meet you." He said with a smile. Kira nodded before replying the same as he had to Amy.

"Likewise captain Darkshade." Aiedail nodded slightly before turning back to Shuhei.

"What's next on this tour then?" he asked his own lieutenant happily. Shuhei held back a sigh before turning to the two third officers.

"Captain, Izuru." He said, nodding at them in turn before leading his captain out. Aiedail waved happily before flash stepping away with Shuhei. Amy stood there for a moment before wandering over to the sofa and collapsing ungracefully onto it. Kira watched her for a moment as she placed her arms over her eyes and sighed loudly.

"He your friend captain?" Kira asked nervously. He still wasn't sure exactly how much informality he could get away with but he didn't believe she was particularly harsh. Amy looked at him with one eye through a hole between her arms before sitting up and smiling.

"You could say that." She replied. "Though sometimes I wonder what on earth I was thinking when I decided to be his friend. Way too much like hard work." She replied before eyeing Kira's stiff posture and getting up. "So; do _I_ get a tour?" she asked teasingly causing Kira's so start slightly, thinking he had done something wrong.

"I'm sorry captain, please follow me." He said hurriedly, moving towards the door. Amy chucked slightly before following him. She got the impression that this was going to become a good friendship. She liked the lieutenant.

**oxo…oxo**

**Well, I think I've gotten past the bit that had me getting you waiting. I don't know if I've kept them in character particularly well but I hope that I have. I wasn't really sure what kind of reactions the lieutenants would give so I kind of just winged it… hope your liking it so far!**

**Please review!**


	11. Chapter 10

**oxo…oxo**

Damien and Momo were walking around the training areas when they saw one of them was occupied. Interested they flash stepped closer, Damien stopping when he recognised who it was who were fighting. Momo stopped behind him, gasping as she saw the blonde headed lieutenant duelling his brown haired captain.

Apparently, Amy had decided it would be a good idea to test her new found lieutenant's abilities to fight. Damien figured that, if he knew Amy and she was acting how he thought she would, she had merely wanted to have some fun. He doubted it was anything to do with her not trusting his abilities; the blonde seemed to be keeping up with her well, neither of them yet in shikai. He was impressed with the boy's skill as it took an awful lot to keep up with her.

The duel was interrupted however by the arrival of Kenpachi who laughed his evil sounding laugh as he sprinted quickly towards them. Amy looked at Kira with a panicked expression that was mirrored in his own.

"Captain?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly at the impending Kenpachi. Amy gulped before replying.

"Run." She stated simply. Kira nodded and the pair were soon flash stepping away, Amy slowing to a pace Kira could keep up with and Kenpachi racing after them; a laughing Yachiru perched on his shoulder. Damien's gaze met Momo's before they continued their tour, nothing about the incident they had witnessed said.

**xxx…xxx**

"A hell butterfly came from the head captain while you were out sir. There will be a demonstration to see what kind of power the new captains have." Matsumoto told Toushiro as he walked through the door. She had been carrying papers over to his desk with a slightly disgruntled look on her face. He guessed it was because she was doing work which was a surprising thing in itself; especially when he wasn't there to supervise.

"Oh?" he asked in interest. _That will be interesting._ He thought in amusement as he sat down at his desk and started on the pile of papers that was now staked there. Matsumoto nodded.

"Yup. All the captains and lieutenants are invited to watch. They will have to show their combat abilities, kido abilities and their Zampacto's shikai." She explained to her captain, telling him everything that had been in the message. Toushiro looked up.

"Not bankai?" he asked. His lieutenant shook her head.

"It doesn't seem so. Apparently they want to keep that secret." She said with a shrug. Toushiro frowned before going back to his work. There were a few minutes of silence; the only sound being the scribble of Toushiro's pen. Matsumoto shuffled in her seat for a moment before turning back to her captain. "Captain?" she asked, her voice thoughtful. Toushiro looked back up at her with a frown.

"Yes Matsumoto?" he asked impatiently. The blonde looked at him for a moment with serious eyes.

"When Amy was changing I couldn't help but notice a strange tattoo of a rose on her chest. It looked like some sort of seal but…I didn't think it was possible to put a seal like that on_ inside_ the soul society?" she asked him, her eyes boring into his as she waited for an answer. Toushiro's frown deepened. He had seen the same kind of thing on the chests of both Damien and Aiedail; just above their hearts.

"I don't know Matsumoto." He replied with a sigh. This was something he would have to look into.

**xxx…xxx**

Amy and Kira didn't stop until they got back to their barracks office, both gasping for breath. As their breathing went back to normal they looked at each other, Amy's face splitting into a grin before her giggles began to erupt out of her throat and Kira began to grin back. They were both in contagious fits when there was a knock at the door. Willing herself to calm down, Amy eyed the door in front of her before walking over to open it. Kira had also calmed and was now following Amy towards the door and taking up his rightful position by his side. Anyone would have said it looked a little odd seeing as Kira was several centimetres taller than his captain. The door opened to show Damien and Momo, both supporting wide grins.

"We thought this might be where you were hiding." Damien told them cheekily before letting himself in. "We were watching you battling when that manic appeared. I must admit I was disappointed; you were doing very well Isuzu." The new fifth captain complimented causing Kira to blush slightly. Damien smiled at the boy before grinning back at Amy who was looking at him in slight confusion. _Most likely abut the fact I knew his name_ he thought with a mental laugh. Momo had told him the names of all the captains and lieutenants; he was very good with names.

"Thank you captain." He mumbled, the pink tinge still in his face. Amy sighed slightly then frowned as she saw what the other captain had in his hand. It was a rose. Rolling her eyes she raised an eyebrow at him. He grinned slightly before holding it out to her.

"I know you are already as beautiful but please take this rose-" he started before she scowled at him slightly and, using a quick flash step to get behind him, whacked him over the head with the hilt of his own sword.

"Ouch! Was that really necessary?" he complained as he rubbed his head gently. Amy grunted.

"Very. Now take your womanising self and clear off. Would you like any tea Momo?" she asked, smiling at the girl who smiled tentatively back before shaking her head.

"No thank you captain. We haven't finished our tour yet." She replied politely. Amy nodded before frowning at Damien, swapping the rose in his hand for his Zampacto and turning to walk further into the room where she sat on the sofa with her back to the captain. Damien shrugged slightly before leaving, Momo following behind. Kira turned to look at his captain, a small furrow in his brow as he watched her twirl the rose in her fingers.

"Not to pry captain, but why did you hit the other captain if you were going to take the rose anyway?" he asked curiously. Amy looked at him in surprise before grinning.

"Roses are my favourite flowers. Why waste it?" she replied, throwing the rose at Kira who caught it nimbly in his hand before turning his eyes back to the captain in question. She shrugged. "A present from me to you. It must be hard to accept me as your captain when you know next to nothing about me. I do believe we will become good friends though. Or I hope we will at least." She explained, her voice unable to conceal the loneliness she felt after leaving almost all her friends behind. Kira's eyes narrowed before he nodded and smiled, his expression becoming slightly different as he began to open up.

Amy smiled. It was going well indeed.

**xxx…xxx**

Aiedail sipped his second cup of tea rhythmically. Shuhei had forced him to drink them following Amy's helpful information and the pair were now pottering round the ninth squad barracks, saying hello to various people in the corridors as they passed. Shuhei was also making sure his captain knew his way around the place. He was very thankful for Captain Jones's instructions; they had defiantly calmed his captain down.

"Good morning captain! Lieutenant Hisagi." A shinigami greeted, bowing to them as they passed. Aiedail blinked at him before smiling.

"Good morning." He replied before continuing by. Shuhei nodded at the shinigami before following the captain. "Wow, people here are so nice!" Aiedail said, turning back to his expressionless lieutenant. Shuhei looked at him in confusion for a minute before nodding. Had it really been any different in the English soul society? Shuhei's thoughts were cut off by an irritated looking Toushiro. He wondered what Matsumoto had done this time.

"Aiedail; no, captain Darkshade." The young captain greeted, stopping the pair in the middle of the hall.

"Yes Toushiro? Or should I call you captain Hitsugaya now?" Aiedail asked, noting the annoyance that passed across the white haired captain's face when he said 'Toushiro'.

"Captain Hitsugaya." He replied before sighing slightly and looking up at the taller captain. "Tomorrow, there will be a demonstration of your power. I hope you will be looking forward to it." He explained, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Aiedail grinned. _Oh, I am._

**oxo…oxo**

**That was a pants ending… but hey. I still hope the characters are ok. I generally find that I get more into the characters and how they would react when I write more and more about them so I'm sorry if some of them vary in character somewhat… obviously, some are easier to portray than others… ^_^**

**Please review!**


	12. Chapter 11

**oxo…oxo**

After informing the others two English captains about the demonstration the following day, Toushiro made his way towards the twelfth squad barracks and to the department of Research and Development. He had never really liked visiting the twelfth squad and their captain freaked him out somewhat but it was necessary for him to find out about those strange seals on the English captains. As he stopping outside the door, he mentally prepared himself before knocking, showing no emotion as it was opened by the equally emotionless Nemu Kurotsuchi.

"Captain Hitsugaya." She greeted, opening the door a fraction more and allowing the captain a better look at the dim interior of the office; lit only by the light of the computer screen.

"Good afternoon, lieutenant Kurotsuchi." He replied, his voice official and business like. "Might I speak with captain Kurotsuchi?" he asked; keeping his voice pleasant. Said captain looked over from where he sat in front of the large, lit screen, his face curious as he eyed the small captain standing in his doorway.

"Well, well, well; if it isn't the famous captain Hitsugaya. What brings you here?" he asked snidely, an intensity in his voice Toushiro couldn't recognise. Walking past Nemu and into the office, he had to use all his will to stop himself from gazing round the room. It was very cluttered and dark, making the eye want to wander but Toushiro stayed firm, his eyes never leaving Kurotsuchi's face and his expression never changing.

"I need some information, captain." He explained, his voice low and polite. The twelfth squad captain raised and eyebrow.

"The young protégé needs some information from me?" he asked, infuriating Toushiro with his antics.

"Yes." He replied steadily, struggling not to let his annoyance show. "I need to know something about the new captains. I believe they have seals and I want to know why." He explained. Kurotsuchi pondered this for a second before his lips curled slightly into a smirk.

"I have no intentions of helping you captain Toushiro. If you want the information you'll have to go through the proper channels like everyone else and as you know; that can take months." Kurotsuchi replied in a scathing tone causing Toushiro to frown slightly before stalking out of the office, the only sign he was annoyed. Kurotsuchi watched him for a moment before turning back to the computer screen and typing quickly onto the keyboard.

He had no intentions of helping the young captain, but what he said had him interested. Why would the captains have seals and who was it who could make a seal to work full time in the soul society with nothing hugely noticeable?

**xxx…xxx**

Matsumoto was sat on the sofa when the door of her office opened. Looking up she smiled as she saw Kira and Shuhei in the doorway and beckoned them happily in.

"What's up guys? How are the new captains?" she asked joyfully as they crossed the room to sit on the sofa opposite her. Kira looked at her for a moment before sighing.

"Well, _I_ like her well enough but the men… they aren't so sure." he told the blonde who grinned slightly at his words.

"Oh you do, do you?" she asked slyly, causing Kira's face to go a shade pinker.

"Not like that!" he protested, throwing his hands up flustered before scowling slightly at Matsumoto's laughter.

"And what about you Shuhei?" she asked when she calmed down. "What do you and your men think of your captain?" the black haired man looked at her for a moment with an unreadable expression before looking down.

"He's very…lively." He said simply, causing Matsumoto to stare and him and a smile to come to Kira's face.

"Now that could be an understatement." The blonde mumbled in amusement and Shuhei nodded. This caused Matsumoto to crack up again.

"The men seem to like him well enough though. I think it's the fact he's a lot less strict than captain Tozen, even in this little time." Shuhei continued, ignoring his friend's laughter as he said his part.

"Well it's good to see he's fitting in." Matsumoto replied, coming out of her giggles very quickly to become serious all of a sudden. Kira frowned at this sudden change in attitude before the door burst open and in came a very angry looking Toushiro. The captain looked like he was in the kind of mood that even Matsumoto wouldn't try and provoke him.

"Afternoon captain." Matsumoto greeted politely as the white haired boy stalked around the table before throwing himself down onto his chair and began to fill out papers. The three lieutenants looked at each other meaningly before Kira and Shuhei got up, saying polite goodbye's before leaving. Matsumoto eyed her captain wearily before speaking up. "Captain? Are you ok?"

Toushiro looked up at her with cold eyes and she could feel the temperature in the room dropping. As she shivered, Toushiro sighed.

"I went to see captain Kurotsuchi to see if I could find anything on those seals but he refused to help me." The young captain explained; his voice low and dangerous as he expressed his annoyance. Matsumoto blinked.

"Oh? Well, won't the library have something?" she asked causing Toushiro to look up at her and nod.

"Yes but it will take more time to find. The easiest option was to ask the captain; or I thought it would be at least." He explained, allowing the room to heat up again slightly as he controlled his temper. Matsumoto frowned before grinning and getting up off the sofa.

"Cheer up captain! I'm sure that with your detective skills ransacking the library will be no problem!" she chirped, moving purposefully towards the door as she did so. Toushiro looked back up at her from his work with a look that said 'what do you take me for, stupid?'

"Matsumoto. Where are you going?" he asked pointedly, causing her to falter as she tried to think up a good explanation for her departure.

"Uh…well, I think Kira might need me to help his convince his men Captain Jones is ok!" she told him, hoping beyond hope he would buy the feeble excuse. Toushiro raised an eyebrow before shifting his eyes to look at the pile of papers sitting next to her desk. Then he turned his gaze back on his lieutenant. She shifted nervously before smiling.

"Sorry captain, I'll do it later!" she said before flash stepping from the room.

"MATSUMOTO!"

Toushiro's cry could be heard from every corner of the soul society. Kira looked over his shoulder as a breathless and frost covered Matsumoto flash stepped to beside him, breathing heavily and shivering somewhat. Kira razed an eyebrow before continuing towards the third squad barracks.

"That went well then. You didn't die." he told her with a dry tone. She pouted slightly before jogging to catch up with him.

"It wasn't particularly pleasant though." She murmured grumpily causing Kira to smile slightly as they walked into his office where Amy sat staring at papers with a furrowed brow. She looked up as they came in, a small smile replacing the frown as she spotted Matsumoto.

"Matsumoto! What happened to you?" she asked, the frown coming back when she saw the frost. Matsumoto sneezed before smiling slightly.

"I escaped my captain's wrath." She explained, sniffling slightly as she attempted to get the snow out of her hair.

"Toushiro?" Amy asked in confusion. He had seemed nice enough in England. Well, he was a little uptight and cold at first but he had warmed up as the week had gone on.

"Yeah. Matsumoto skives her paperwork and he has to do it. Its normal, don't worry." Kira explained as he reached up to one of the shelves above his desk and grabbed a book from it. Flicking it open at the marked page he sat down on the sofa to read.

"Your going to be boring, aren't you?" Matsumoto grumbled, watching as Kira read his book and Amy did her paperwork. They both nodded distractedly and Matsumoto huffed before turning round and walking out the door. She needed to find someone more fun to play with.

**oxo…oxo**

**Ok, so that's chapter 11! I hope you like it and I hope I have the characters better now… so, anyway, I have a plan for where this is going so it should be good… **

**Please review!**


	13. Chapter 12

**oxo…oxo**

The man who visited Muramasa was tall and muscular, brown hair and brown eyes, amused looking and intent. What his intentions were Muramasa didn't know but there was something about this man that made him want to cower in fear. He looked at the brunette with distrust. How was he able to get here anyway? This was his inner world, the place his soul resided when he wasn't wanted. He had been there a long time.

"Muramasa." The man greeted warmly. Muramasa frowned; how did he know his name?

"Who are you?" the Zampacto asked, his voice steady and calm but the water beneath them was churning uneasily. The man smiled.

"My name is Aizen. You want to free your master, correct?" Aizen answered with a question of his own, causing Muramasa's frown to deepen slightly. How did he know?

"How did you know?" He asked, voice still staying calm. Aizen's smile grew and he took a tentative but sure step forwards before answering.

"I know a lot of things my friend. Another thing I know is where your old maser is. I also know how to free him." He told the Zampacto, carefully gaining his trust.

"You can?" he asked, a hope in his voice he wished he could quench. Aizen nodded.

"And I will. All I ask of you is your assistance." He explained manipulatively, his face becoming serious. Muramasa nodded.

"What would you like me to do?" the Zampacto asked hurriedly. He wanted to free his master, be one again; stop this loneliness that he felt. Aizen smiled again, the smile not a nice one but Muramasa didn't notice. He was thinking only of the hope he now contained.

"Listen to me carefully Muramasa, and you will understand what you need to do." Aizen stated before walking over to the Zampacto and whispering into his ear.

**xxx…xxx**

Aiedail was browsing through the large library when Toushiro came in. the young captain looked surprised to see him, his eyes widening slightly as he took in the man standing right next to the section he wanted to look at.

_Damn._ Toushiro thought in annoyance. _Why did_ he _have to be here?_ Aiedail waved at him happily before putting the book that was in his hand back on the shelf it came from.

"What brings you here Toushiro?" he asked with a smile, keeping his voice low. Toushiro scowled at him and he gave his fellow captain an apologetic look. "Sorry; captain Hitsugaya. I'll never get used to saying that. Ever." Toushiro nodded slightly before walking over to a shelf across the hall and picking out a book at random.

"I'm here for this." He said bluntly before taking the book out of the library. Aiedail frowned. _That was odd._

**xxx…xxx**

It was late evening when Toushiro went back to the library and he was happy to find it empty. Sighing slightly, he put the book he had taken back on the shelf and moved towards the documents that read 'English soul society'. There wasn't very much on the shelf and most of it consisted of how it came into creation.

Toushiro shifted through them patently, looking for any piece of information that might give him an inkling of what the seals were. By the time there was only one book left he was beginning to loose his patience with the whole library but as he flicked through it he came across something interesting that made him stop and look. It was an article. Frowning, Toushiro read it.

_Third seat of squad 12, Heather Kendle, was charged with treason for using human souls in an attempt to create a weapon of mass destruction. During this time the rest of the Seireitei were gathered in the main arena for a demonstration called by head captain Hetta Goodwin who later admitted she knew what the officer was trying to do. To stop too many people being involved in this, she sent three lieutenants over - Thomas Darkshade, Amelia Jones and Damien Robins - in an attempt to stop the girl. They were, unfortunately, too late; arriving in the doorway just as the explosion went off. The lieutenants were greatly injured in the explosion and were rushed to squad four where it was found that they had after effects of a high increase in spiritual power that without control was harmful for both them and everyone around them. For their own and others safety they were given special seals, holding in their power and bringing it down to a captain's level. _

His frown deepened at this new discovery before he continued reading.

_Thanks to the head captain, the only effects the most of the soul society had was a rise in spiritual power among its occupants instead of the injured and dead that would have been otherwise. Heather Kendle died in the explosion and was not able to tell of her intentions._

That explained the sheer amount of candidates for the captain's exam. It also explained the seals and though it wasn't a lot, Toushiro now understood _why_ they were made if not when and how. But he didn't need to know that necessarily. What he had specifically wanted to know he had found, so he placed the book back on the shelf before walking back to his office, deep in thought.

**xxx…xxx**

"ACHOOO!" Amy sneezed suddenly causing Kira, who was helping her with her paperwork, jump. Sniffling, she turned to look at the lieutenant who was now staring at her, trying to get his wits back. She smiled slightly. "Sorry." She apologised before grabbing a tissue from a box on the side. "Someone must be talking about me."

Kira nodded slightly before going back to the work. Because she was new he had thought it a good idea to help her with the paperwork, seeing as he had finished his own earlier that morning, but it was still taking them a long time. She had the demonstration the next morning and he was going to be the one she fought against. The others would have to fight their lieutenants as well but Kira thought he had an advantage. He had fought her before, if not for long.

He wondered for a moment, as he finished his last paper, how she would fight Wabisuke? He wasn't planning on telling her his Zampacto's abilities until after the fight or if he got her with it. But if that happened then she might fail. He wasn't sure he wanted that but he knew he couldn't just pretend to lose, everyone would know.

He sighed slightly causing Amy to look up, placing the last paper on the pile next to her. "What's up?" she asked worriedly.

"Nothing really. I was just thinking about tomorrow." He replied. Amy frowned.

"The demonstration?" she asked. Kira nodded and Amy smiled. "Don't worry about it. Just fight your best and I'll do the same." She told him reassuringly causing Kira to smile slightly. Grinning back, Amy stretched; pulling her arms above her head and in front of her before getting up from her seat.

"Are you going to bed?" Kira asked politely, getting up as well. Amy nodded.

"Could you show me how to get there please? I have a feeling its all going to look different in the dark." She asked.

"Of course captain." Kira replied before leading her out of the room.

**oxo…oxo**

**Really bad ending, I know…. Anyway, I hope you like it so far and I do belive the plots coming along nicely… **

**Please review!**


	14. Chapter 13

**oxo…oxo**

The demonstration the next day started at dawn and all the captains and lieutenants of the soul society were stationed around one of the large training grounds, standing and watching as the three new captains and their lieutenants stood in the middle, the head captain next to them.

"Welcome. As you all know we are here to see just how suitable the new captains are. If we find them unsuitable another exam will be held and new captains will be chosen." The head captain explained. _Not that that's likely to happen,_ Toushiro found himself thinking as he looked at the three. "They are to be fighting their lieutenants one at a time and are restricted from using their bankai's." the commander finished, turning to look at Aiedail who was to be the first one to fight. Aiedail nodded before walking forward with Shuhei and taking position on the field. The other five moved back to join the crowed and the demonstration began.

Aiedail started with kido. "Hado 33; sokatsui!" he cried, firing the blue beam of light right at his lieutenant who managed to dodge it and come at Aiedail with his Zampacto drawn. The captain had to act quickly, taking out his own Zampacto and blocking as Shuhei came down at him. The sounds of swords clashing echoed through the otherwise silent arena; everyone was focused on the match. They kept it up for a while each clashing with each other many times before Shuhei flash stepped away and raised his Zampacto.

"Reap, Kazeshini." He said, speaking clearly as his Zampacto was released into Shikai, its blades glinting in the light of the rising sun. Aiedail smiled slightly upon seeing it before quickly dodging its attack. He then grabbed the sheath of his sword and placed it onto the end of his Zampacto.

"Bring though the twilight, Syante!" he ordered and the crowed watched as a mini whirlwind surrounded the sword and sheath before it disappearing quickly to reveal two swords, hilt to hilt. Amy looked at Damien and they grinned. Holding the swords together, Aiedail sprang towards Shuhei but was blocked by both Kazeshini's blades. They stayed together for a moment before Aiedail smiled and took the blade that wasn't up against Kazeshini and revealed the chain.

He then put the sword casually up to Shuhei's throat and watched as the lieutenants eyes widened. Amy laughed loudly and Damien grinned, causing the others to look at them slightly.

"Well done Aiedail!" Damien called up to their friend who turned and grinned back at them.

"So he has a twin sword hu?" Ukitake pondered allowed, watching as Shuhei and Aiedail sheathed their Zampacto's and shook hands before flash stepping back to where the others sat.

"It would seem so." Shunsui answered thoughtfully causing them to meet each others eyes for a moment as they wondered on this idea.

"Our turn next Izuru." Amy said with a grin before flash stepping quickly to her place on the field. Kira followed her at a slower pace and the match began. This time, it was Kira who started.

"Hado 58, Tenran!" he cried, releasing the large whirlwind from his palms and aiming it at a wide eyed Amy.

"Nice." She said, her eyes narrowing before she used her own kido. "Bakudo 81, Danku." She countered, putting up the misty barrier just before the attack hit. Then, she drew her Zampacto to counter Kira as he smashed his own Zampacto into it. Amy grinned before clashing again. Damien was once again impressed by Kira's abilities to block Amy's attacks. She could be relentless when in the mood but he had an inkling that she had no intention of hurting her new subordinate.

"Raise your head, Wabisuke!" Kira called, releasing his Zampacto before they clashed again. Amy frowned slightly before pulling away, quickly flash stepping to the other side of the arena and eyeing her lieutenant suspiciously. There was something wrong, what was it? The new form of his Zampacto wasn't much different which meant it had to have a special power. But what? She then eyed her Zampacto, startled. It was heavier. Not by much, she would admit but enough for her to notice. _Touching: bad._ She thought before firing a red Shakkaho at Kira who dodged it and pressed forward to swipe at her, expecting her to block. She dodged, using flash step to get passed him.

Kira looked round, his eyes wide. _She didn't block?_ Then, she brought her Zampacto to her lips and closed her eyes. "Bleed, Akane Yuki." Amy said softly. The blade of her sword lit up gently in a blood red colour, the light bleeding from the tip downwards as if blood really was running down it. Below the hilt of the sword the same was happening; the red light becoming a ribbon. When the blade was completely covered in the red light, it stopped glowing, leaving her blade a blood coloured red. Then, Amy opened her eyes and swung her Zampacto quickly in the air, letting out one of her red light attacks.

Kira's eyes widened as the attack came at him before he tried to dodge it, the side of his leg becoming caught in the beam. He winced as he fell, falling into a red snow drift that had been created by Akane Yuki's red beam of light. Everything the light had touched had been covered in ice and snow, including Kira's leg. The blonde popped his head up from out of the snowdrift before struggling to stand. Amy smiled before flash stepping behind him and pressing her Zampacto to his neck, gently finishing the battle. She then proceeded to sheath her sword and put her arms around Kira; helping him over to the side where she sat him down and started melting the ice using a kido to create a flame in the palm of her hand.

"Our turn then Momo." Damien stated pleasantly before walking with his lieutenant onto the arena. She smiled at him slightly before pulling out her Zampacto.

"Snap, Tobiume." She said, releasing her Zampacto straight into its shikai form and quickly sending a fireball at her captain. Damian grinned.

"Bakudo 39, Enkosen!" he yelled, putting up the small barrier and blocking the fireballs as they hit. Then he drew his Zampacto and attacked he girl. She blocked it skilfully and Damien grinned again. "Let's see what you make of this." He told her silkily before jumping backwards with a small back flip. Then, he held up his Zampacto. "Scatter, blue petal."

The audience gasped as his shikai emerged, shimmering blue petals floating harmlessly around them. Damien smirked before gathering them together and hurtling the petals at an astonished looking Momo who threw fireballs at it in a futile attempt to stop the captain's attack. Her eyes widened in fear as he petals rushed towards her but before hey could connect a large explosion rocked the arena causing a large smoke cloud to engulf the pair and audience. Damien coughed before grabbing Momo and pulling her back to where the head captain stood; this was not part of the demonstration.

The cloud cleared to show a lone figure in the middle of the retreating dust. A tall thin man with pale skin and shaggy, dark brown hair was stood there, casually watching as the soul reapers recovered. His turquoise colored eyes were circled by purple marks and wore a long white robe-like coat, the collar covered with a thick fur and featuring a purple ascot fastened by a ruby brooch. It was quite the sight, especially when accompanied by his long fingernails.

"Who are you?" the head captain asked suspiciously, his deep voice rattling the captains to the core. But they were all thinking the same thing as they watched the strange man before them.

"Muramasa." He replied simply before raising his hand up to point at them and sending a strong wind through the group. Suddenly, new people began to walk out from amongst them and towards Muramasa, shocking the confused officers as they began to recognize them. Amy frowned. What the hell was going on? Who was he, this man who seemed to have created the new people? Then she felt something tugging in her chest, her seal, and her breathing hitched slightly and she brought her hand to it. Then she began to scream in pain, a fiery pain that burned her down to the very core.

It gained everyone's attention including the attention of the newly manifested Zampacto's. As Amy screamed, Toushiro flash stepped over to her, wondering what was wrong. He and Kira grasped her arms for a moment to try and calm her before they were pushed away by the sheer force of the spiritual pressure now pouring out of her body. Then Aiedail and Damien began to scream, both just as painfully as Amy; their struggles being watched by everyone present. Muramasa just eyed them intently. This was what he wanted; this was what he had been told to do. "_Break the souls and you break the seals." _Aizen had said. Apparently he had been right.

Amy's screams intensified and she fell to her knees as a woman with long, straight, jet black hair and ruby red eyes walked past her and over to where Muramasa stood. Her skin was pale; she had red lips and red eye shadow and wore a traditional, red Japanese kimono with white ribbons and a white obi. As she arrived she collapsed into Hyorinmaru's arms at the same time as Amy collapsed onto the ground; unconscious. Much the same happened with Aiedail and Damien, their Zampacto's manifesting before their eyes before collapsing into another Zampacto's arms.

Syante consisted of two manifestations. One was a tall man with bright golden eyes and spiky black hair. His skin was a dark copper colour that seemed to glow and he was wearing what looked like jeans and a t-shirt. The other was a small woman with silver hair and sliver eyes. She was pale and her skin shimmered like moonlight, her light blue kimono seeming to shine slightly as she moved. She was caught by Kazeshini who looked at her in interest while the man was caught by Wabisuke.

Blue petal was a well built man; blue eyes and blue hair and blue skin he looked very weird. He also wore blue jeans and a blue shirt, the only other colour on him being a red flower that stuck out of his hair. He was caught by Senbonzakura who proceeded to lift the Zampacto onto his shoulder and turn away from the others, all the Zampacto making their escape with Muramasa; killing people and destroying buildings as they went.

**oxo…oxo**

**Ok, so I don't think that went too badly… I'm not sure about the end and am sure I was properly trying to rush it slightly but I think its ok… maybe. But then it doesn't really matter too much what I think does it? You're the one who has to read it so I hope you enjoy it and continue to read!**

**Please review!**


	15. Chapter 14

**oxo…oxo**

Retsu Unohana was tired and confused. While the others were out fighting their Zampacto's she had been inside, trying to find the reason behind the three English captains unconsciousness. She didn't understand why they, but no one else, had been affected by their Zampacto's leaving them. It had been three days now and they were still asleep. The good thing about this fact, however, was the fact that their Zampacto's had also not been seen. She was convinced that if they did there wouldn't be many who could stop them.

This theory came from the sheer amount of reiatsu that poured from them even when they were unconscious; it was the same as the head captain's normally. The fourth squad captain frowned as she peered at Amy, the other captain lying on a bed next to the desk. Her face was calm now where, just yesterday, it had been contorted in pain.

Toushiro had been by her side allot, coming to visit whenever he could make time and all the English captain's lieutenants had been popping in and out; finding their own time between organising their squads and fighting their Zampacto's. Matsumoto had also been around though less than the other lieutenants as she only really came to inform her captain when he was needed. Unohana had tried to convince Toushiro he had to spend more time with his own squad but he had refused until that morning when Hyorinmaru had been spotted causing havoc around the Seireitei.

The thing that Unohana found most strange was the fact that their vitals and bodies were completely fine. She assumed it must have been a mental thing or something but how bad must it have been to cause them such pain and render them unconscious for at least three days? The door to her office opened and, as she turned to look at the door, her eyes widened slightly at who stood there. The twelfth squad captain eyed Unohana with slight distain for a moment before he walked towards her with a growing smirk on his face.

"I assume that by the surprise on your face you did not sense me coming." He stated before pausing a few meters away from Unohana, her eyes narrowing slightly at his inclination. She did not answer, only watched him curiously; wondering exactly why he was here. "I can't imagine you know what exactly is going on with these three?" he asked airily, in a tone that told her he knew he was right and wanted so much to rub it in.

"No. I don't know what the matter with them is." She replied icily and Kurotsuchi's grin widened.

"Do you want me to tell you?" he played, his voice taking on a playful tone. Unohana's eyes narrowed still further; this time in confusion. Kurotsuchi chuckled tauntingly before turning to look at Aiedail, who was on the bed closest to him.

"You know?" Unohana asked to his back, a hint of suspicion in her voice. Kurotsuchi paused again but did not turn around. His clawed hand moved a piece of hair out of Aiedail's eyes before he answered her dryly.

"Of course I know; I am the head of the department of research and development." He told her, slight anger in his voice though he was trying to suppress it. Unohana, he knew, would not stand for his lack of manners no matter what information he knew. The pair were silent for a moment, Unohana waiting patiently for him to speak again. After it was clear he would not, she sighed.

"I apologise." She told him, her voice clear and truthful; she meant what she said. This caused him to turn at look at her, his eyes widened slightly as he stared at her. She met his eyes and stared back, this was not the time for starting petty arguments. Kurotsuchi blinked slightly before a small smile, not a smirk a _smile_, came to his face and he turned back to her. Though her expression did not change Unohana was surprised; she had never seen her fellow captain smile before.

"The three had an accident while lieutenants in the English soul society. They gained an immense power from it that took three captains, including the head captain, to seal away for their own safety and the safety of others. When this 'Muramasa' pulled out their Zampacto's it broke their spirit in two, breaking the seals as well." Kurotsuchi explained simply. Unohana stared at him.

"They were so easily broken?" she asked quietly. The twelfth captain nodded.

"The seals were unstable as it was; tearing their soul apart gave them the unsteadiness needed to break. This, of course, caused a massive amount of mental pain. Practically all of their spiritual pressure had been sealed away and releasing it must have been the same on them as it would be for one of us to unleash out full reiatsu on an unseated officer." He explained, his voice, though the same high pitch and sneakiness it usually contained, was unusually soft and co operative and it surprised Unohana tremendously.

Looking away from Kurotsuchi she let her gaze fall on the third captain, his bed the farthest away from all of them. This reiatsu was less steady and constant than the others, rising up and down erratically. Kurotsuchi followed her gaze steadily, also feeling the peaking of his spiritual pressure.

"Would there be a way of returning the seals?" Unohana asked carefully, causing his eyes to flit back to her with a strange look that she failed to recognise.

"I'm still working on it at the moment but I believe that with the help of the person who originally made them there might be a way. The problem is the Zampacto's; I don't know if sealing will be possible without their return. That is possible as we know but in this state I don't know what will happen." He admitted, shocking Unohana slightly at his admittance at both that he would need help and that he didn't know something. Not knowing what to say she nodded. He eyed her for a moment before sighing heavily and shrugging, turning back towards the door with a small swagger in his step. Unohana watched him go for a moment before speaking up as he opened the door.

"Thank you, captain Kurotsuchi."

Said captain glanced around at her, looking at her out of the corner of his eye before smirking widely and disappearing around the doorway.

Later that evening, as Unohana was giving the three captains their hourly checkups; she felt a strange peak in the reiatsu of Amelia. As she looked at the girl on the bed Amy's face began to contort. It wasn't in pain but her brow was furrowed in worry and Unohana had no idea what was making the girl worried while she was unconscious. Then her eyes widened as she felt it, the unbearable pressure that was building; crushing her as she stood there. Gasping, she turned her wide eyes on the bed across the room, eyes widening further as she saw Damien sitting up; looking at her with dull eyes.

As he got up and walked over to the desk, his eyes never met hers. It was as if he wasn't bothered by her presence. He seemed to be in some kind of trance and as he grasped his Zampacto from the desk she raised her reiatsu to allow herself to speak.

"You can't leave yet." She stuttered, unable to make her voice as demanding as she would have liked. Damian looked at her for a moment with no expression in his eyes before his face suddenly changed, becoming a grin, his eyes glowing with malice. Unohana cried out stiffly as Damien's sword came up and back down, quickly slashing her through the chest.

Unohana gasped, before coughing as she fell to the ground; unconscious in minutes from a mix of spiritual pressure and blood loss.

**oxo…oxo**

**Well, what do you think? I quite like it personally but I don't suppose what I think matters all that much… so I would like your opinion please! And sorry about the cliff hanger but it kind of seemed to work… ^_^**

**Please review!**


	16. Chapter 15

'_**If I am what I have and if I lose what I have who then am I?' **_

**Erich Fromm **

**oxo…oxo **

When Toushiro arrived back at the squad four barracks with Hyorinmaru in tow he was horrified by what he saw; Unohana lying on the floor in a pool of her own blood. After staring at the woman with wide eyes he snapped out of it, calling hurriedly for healers. While waiting he knelt down next to the fourth squad captain before his eyes turned towards the closest bed, a low groan and fload of spiritual pressure startling him.

As Amy sat up she clutched her head in pain. What on earth had happened? Before she was able to explore that question she was overcome by the force of her own spiritual pressure. Gasping slightly she struggled to reign it in; realising the seal had been broken. As she fought with herself she looked around and noticed Hyorinmaru in the doorway looking useless, Toushiro kneeling on the ground and Unohana bleeding on the floor.

Swinging her head back round to Unohana with wide eyes Amy struggled to take it in. Unohana had seemed one of the strongest captains here, what on earth could have happened? Then she remembered something, unconsciously looking over at Damien's bed to see it empty. Her eyes narrowed and she put the pieces together, not liking where they fit.

"Amy?" Toushiro asked, his voice strained as he spoke through the immense spiritual pressure coming from the English captain. He could tell she was trying to suppress it but the reitsu was still painfully strong. Amy's steel grey eyes flickered over to the white haired captain, looking at him with a growing feeling of dread. What would tempt Damien to do something like this? What could he want? Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed she stood, wobbling slightly before gaining her balance and flash stepping to the screen at the end of the room where she changed her clothing, taking off the white hospital clothing and donning her shinigami uniform.

Walking out from the screen she grasped her Zampacto and slid it into her belt. Then her eyes flickered over to where Aiedail was now waking. Sighing she threw his cloths at him and walked over to kneel next to Unohana. All of this had been done in a matter of seconds and Toushiro had hardly seen it.

"This is bad." Amy whispered as she studied her fellow captain's wounds. She was severally injured but Amy didn't think that Unohana would have just let someone do it to her and as there was no evidence of a struggle only one conclusion came to her mind. "I must have been Damien." She said, turning to Toushiro with hard eyes. The tenth squad captain's eyes widened.

"But how? Why?" he asked in shock. Amy shook her head with a sigh.

"Damien's spiritual pressure just magnified." Aiedail reported with a cringe, pulling on his uniform as he sat on the bed. The pair on the floor looked up at him with wide eyes.

"He's at the twelfth squad barracks! But why?" Amy exclaimed, confusion evident in her eyes and voice. The group looked at each other, even Hyorinmaru looking slightly worried. What could Damien possibly be thinking?

**xxx…xxx **

Kurotsuchi looked up in vague surprise as Damien wandered in, his eyes clouded and his unsheathed sword still dripping blood. The pair pondered each other for a moment before Damien let his reiatsu pour out of his body, causing the other captain's breathing to hitch and his eyes to widen. As Damien's eyes began to come into focus they went back to the crazed way they had been when he had wounded Unohana.

"What the hell do you want?" Kurotsuchi spat angrily, unable to move as the new captain walked over to him with a look that reminded him of himself. Damian chuckled slightly, the chuckle not a friendly one before raising his Zampacto to the struggling man in front of him.

"I'm here for the Honou no tenshi." The English captain stated, his voice gaining the same freaky amusement that Kurotsuchi used and it was beginning to annoy the twelfth captain. Then Kurotsuchi realised what Damien had just said and looked up at him in surprise.

"The Honou no tenshi? But why would you want that?" he asked, real shock on his face now as he momentarily forgot the crushing weight on him. Damian scoffed, his eyes narrowing at the man's curiosity.

"I don't. Aizen does." He explained before leaning in close. "And you're going to tell me where it is."

**xxx…xxx **

When Toushiro, Amy, Aiedail and Hyorinmaru arrived at the twelfth squad barracks no one was there. The area around the desk was trashed, as if someone had been searching for something, and there was no sign of any officers.

"Captain Kurotsuchi should have been here." Toushiro murmured between his teeth. Amy looked at him for a moment before sighing.

"Well he's not here now is he? And both his and Damien's spiritual pressure have disappeared." Aiedail commented dryly, causing Toushiro to glare at him slightly. Hyorinmaru was silent as studied the group. He could remember, as he sat in the cave they had been forced to hide in, a vague memory of something Muramasa had said. Frowning slightly as he recollected it, he turned to Toushiro.

"Muramasa," He began, "Was talking to someone a few nights ago. I didn't see who it was but they were saying something about how Damien would get something for him and that they needed the twelfth squad captain to work it." He explained, blinking slightly as everyone's eyes turned to him. Amy and Aiedail were surprised more by the fact that he was talking than what he said; it was the first time they had heard him speak. Toushiro nodded.

"Thank you." He replied thoughtfully before turning his aqua eyes beck on the papers that were now thrown on the floor. What on earth was in here that needed _Kurotsuchi _to make it work?

**oxo…oxo **

**Well, here is chapter 15! I hope you like it and continue to read it. Also, don't forget, please review!**


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